Twilight Princess: Reflections of a former hero
by Hero's-shade
Summary: The story of the Hero's Shade, the skeleton warrior who trains Link, from his own personal reflections. Later chapters will progress through the events of the game. COMPLETE! PLEASE REVIEW!I WANT REVIEWS!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I am waiting.

The twilight has fallen over Hyrule like a ghastly shroud, covering the land in evil once more. Every race feels it, from the mighty Gorons on their high mountain peaks, to the graceful Zora in their aquatic domain. The three light spirits have been quashed, their light scattered across the land. All of the living inhabitants of the kingdom have become spirits, and they are not even aware of it. Hyrule is in need of a hero, to once more drive back the darkness. But this time, I cannot answer the call.

For I am dead.

Hyrule is a different place now, than it was in my era. Times have changed, and so have the people. The Kokiri village is cut off from the rest of the world, wanting no more contact with outsiders. A new Hyrule castle stands, while the Temple of Time is a vine-choked ruin. Darunia's grandson Fyrus is the ruler of his people, though he has been turned into a monster. Ruto's daughter Ruetela ruled her Race... until her life was tragically snuffed out. I do not know if her son will endure. Zelda's grandniece is nothing like her, surrendering her kingdom instead of keeping the fight going in secret.

This world cries for a hero.

A century ago, I would have stopped this. I would have pulled my sword from it's sheath and fought, as I had fought to save Hyrule and Termina before. But my time has past, and it falls to those in my bloodline to follow in my footsteps. In Ordon village, my grandson works as a goat rancher. The boy grew up there, raised by the Ordonians after his parents died. He has friends, and people who care about him. Young Link will be going to Hyrule soon, I'm sure of it. He possesses the same courage I once did, and reminds me so much of his grandmother...

Malon...

My beloved wife. She was a young Ranch girl I met when I was saving Hyrule, and came to love. Her love of farming and horses has passed to our grandchild, he can even play her horse-calling song on blades of grass! Malon's ghost lingers in this land, as mine across the vast expanse of Hyrule field can still hear her haunting voice echoing across the lands at night, softly singing a sad melody. How I wish I could comfort her.

But I cannot.

Those blasted sages, this is all their fault! They were six Hylians, who replaced the six original sages who helped me seal Ganondorf away. The sages' job was to maintain the seal on the evil king, but they instead decided to "Punish evil." After driving the Gerudo thieves out of their fortress, they built a massive prison complex in the desert. There, the sages jailed Hyrule's worst criminals in this "Arbitrator's Grounds". Then, they decided to try and rid Hyrule of it's worst enemy.

The fools.

These new Sages drew Ganondorf out of his prison in the void, where I had sealed him so long ago, and tried to execute him. But the Triforce of Power was too strong in him, and the villain would not die. The fools then banished Ganon to the Realm of Twilight. Now his power has returned in the form of , the two fiends seek to merge the light and twilight to create a world of darkness. Even though I am dead, I can not simply stand by, and allow evil to consume my homeland.

I must act.

The boy will walk in my path, and wear the Tunic of the hero I once wore. He will need my guidance. The gossip stones... they can act as connector between the spirit world, and the world of the living. When my grandson finds each of them, I will reach out to him in the form of a golden wolf. In the form of a giant armored Stalfos, I will train him in the arts of swordplay that I was unable to pass on to his stubborn father. Just as I was the Hero of Time, so he shall be the Hero of Twilight.

My child, I am waiting for you...


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I cannot believe this.

My grandchild's friends have been taken by monsters, and he is now trapped in the Twilight. No longer in the form of a man, the hero now wears the guise of a savage wolf. Chained in Hyrule castle, He was rescued by the Twili girl Minda, who has made him into her errand boy. At the behest of both this transformed imp and the cowardly princess of Hyrule, he is running around, trying desperately to save his friends.

How dare they.

I fight back the urge to intervene, because he is even now gathering the tears of light for the first light spirit. Out of their manipulations, light shall soon return to Faron woods. No, I shall go ahead with my original plan, and allow this to go on... so long as it leads to the land of Hyrule being saved from the King of Evil and his twisted Twili usurper. For the greater good, I am allowing my own flesh and blood to be used like a puppet.

What would his grandmother think of me now?

The Twili... I know of them. They were a dark tribe that invaded Hyrule, over a millenia ago. The villains sought to force their way into the Sacred Realm, and seize the Triforce for themselves. After a long and costly war, they were defeated, and banished into the Twilight World. It was because of the war they caused that the Ancient Sages Created the door of time, and used the Master Sword to seal the entrance to the sacred realm. They hoped to keep the power of the gods away from's evil's grasp.

But that didn't stop Ganondorf.

When I was alive, I encountered the Twili's evil first hand. That blasted Mask of Majora, which had tried to bring the moon down on Termina. It had been a tool the Twili had used in their hexing rituals. But it was not the only evil artifact they had left behind. Their king's armor, the Fused Shadow, still remained in Hyrule. The light spirits sealed it's dark power away. Now, Minda is after it. She would use my boy as a pawn to recover her throne from Zant.

Goddesses, how I hate her.

I would rather the boy have been left to live an idyllic life has a ranch hand, than to have this fate befall him. He has been so happy, much as I was with Saria in the kokriri forest with Saria in my childhood. Colin, the boy wishes so much to be like him. And Illia... She has much of Malon's strength in her, and her love of horses. I don't care for how she snapped at young link, but she is still a good person at heart... a decent match for my boy. How could such a perfect life had gone so horribly wrong?

It is the fate of those who follow in my bloodline, I suppose...

Still, a life of adventuring is a life well lived. Sleeping out under the stars, fighting monsters, living off the Rupees the Minish leave under the bushes I cut. Wither it was Selling Poes to a cranky old Subrosian living in the ruins of old Hyrule castle, or Racing the soul of a dead grave keeper to earn a Hookshot, I always lived life to it's fullest. I never would of left that happy existence had I not wanted to start a family. I am always sad, though, I was never able to find an old friend of mine, I lost so long ago...

Navi...

He has succeeded! The Twilight has been driven back from this forest! I see him there, clad in the green of the forest as I once was... The fate of Hyrule is secure now, I am sure of it. He will be coming to the forest temple soon, to Recover the first piece of the fused Shadow. And I will be there, waiting for him. From me, he will learn the teachings of old. But I wish I could tell him so much more! Tell him how proud of him I am, how I wished I could have been there when he was growing up. But there is no time, I must train him quickly if we are to defeat this evil.

The Hero of Twilight is approaching the temple, It is time...


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

He is here.

My grandson has come, seeking entrance to the forest temple. As he approaches, I leap forward, and we are enveloped in light. As we cross into the spirit world, an apprehension overtakes me. He will not recognize me, of course. But will he even listen to me, especially in the grisly form I've chosen to wear? I shift from the form of a beast into that of an armored Stalfos. And then he faces me.

Oh great Din.

I look into his eyes. The same determination burns there, that once burned in my eyes so long ago. Looking upon the boy now, I am amazed I never realized how much he looks exactly as I did. The green tunic, sword clenched tightly in his hand. At first, Link glares at me with a suspicious hostility. Then, he gets a good look at my appearance, and seems to calm a bit. Holding back my surprise, I speak to him, and being his training.

Truly magnificent!

Amazing. My boy learned the Ending Blow in a matter of minutes. The swordsman from Odoron has taught him well, though I mostly ascribe it to the natural talent inherent in his blood. It may seem I am a bit harsh with young Link, but there is no time for affection or sentimentality when all of Hyrule is in such grave peril! As he returns to the world of the living, I inform him of the gossip stones, letting him know we will be seeing each other again.

I will be watching him.

The Hero of Twilight handles himself well in the Forest Temple, aiding a tribe of monkeys that have made the place their home. Apparently, their leader had been taken over by evil, and all the other monkeys were being held prisoner. As to the Temple itself, it has changed much since I was there. Plants and trees in Hyrule grow at a ridiculously fast rate, and the structure is so smothered in vegetation, it now looks like the body of a massive tree trunk.

It almost feels like a different place.

My boy moves from room to room, killing Bokoblins, Deku Babas, and Skulltulas. The quick and deadly slashes of his blade causes the monsters to vanish in a bright cloud of evil smoke. Most of the monsters of this world are either constructs of evil magic, or creatures corrupted by dark forces. Though there are a few creatures who fight for evil of their own free will, such as that one extremely large Moblin who first took Colin and Illia.

I often wonder why.

My mind snaps back to the present, as Link enters battle with the corrupted monkey. The beast is armed with a boomerang, enchanted with the spirit of a wind fairy. Despite his powerful weapon, the annoying creature is knocked off his high perch atop the totem poles, and brought crashing to the ground. After the crystal bug that was controlling him is torn from his head, the boss monkey scurries off in panic.

Good. Another pawn of evil freed.

There are many new wonders in this dungeon, many of which I never encountered on my travels. This Occoca creature, for example. The body of a Cuccuo, and the head of a human, most bizarre! She seems to be friendly, and could be quite helpful with that teleport ability of hers. I wonder what role she will play in this quest?And these bomblings, walking explosive creatures which so remind me of bombachus. These things are as new to me as the bridges with propellers that are turned by the wind.

This world is truly a different place.

My boy then rushes to free the other monkeys, and I am reminded of one I once fought to free here. Saria, the sage of the Forest. My childhood friend, and constant companion in my youth. She was the only Kokiri who didn't regard me differently because I didn't have a fairy, and Stood up to Mido when he would try to bully me. Had I actually been a Kokiri, I would have been content to remain there in that forest with her for all time, surrounded forever by childhood innocence. I suppose she's still there, eternally youthful, sitting on a tree stump, and playing her ocarina.

Zelda was right, Time is indeed cruel.

The Hero of twilight has freed the last monkey, and is headed for the boss chamber. As he swings across the chasm on the chain the monkey's have made, I cannot help but chuckle. He looks ridiculous, like a performer from the Gorman Brother's Circus! I immediately stop laughing when I remember how silly I looked doing the ghost dancer's dance in Termina. The lock on the door falls away, and he enters the boss chamber. I know what he is feeling right now ... the thrill and fear of the coming battle, at knowing what last great challenge this dungeon will throw at you before it is conquered.

I have known that thrill times beyond counting.

As Diababa rears it's ugly heads from beneath the water, I silently urge my grandson on to battle. The combat is fierce, with the over sized vine lunging it's mouths at him again and again. Again and again he brings the monster's largest head down, slashing away at it's great eye. Finally, with the aid of the Boomerang, bomlings, and the freed boss monkey, the foul weed is exterminated. It's corpse yields the first piece of the fused Shadow, then Link and his puppet master are quickly gone from that place.

The first major blow in this conflict has been struck.

My boy returns to speak with the light spirit, then is soon off towards the Eldin province. The hour has come when he shall aid the people of Kakariko village, along with my sworn brothers, the Gorons of Death Mountain. It will be a long and hard road to finding his lost friends and saving hyrule, but it is a road he knows he must take. And I will be right there beside him, all the way. Teaching him sword techniques, whenever I can.

Even in death, I can still make a difference.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Hyrule Field.

I had forgotten how big it was, a vast expanse of rolling plains. It seems even larger now than it did in my day, but perhaps that is just my imagination. My boy makes his way across the landscape, killing monsters as he goes. Without a horse, it takes longer to cross the terrain than it normally would. As Link approaches the wall of twilight, dusk sets in, and Malon's spirit begins it's eerie nightly chant. The young hero shivers at the sound of the chilling song.

He is not even aware of who that voice belongs to.

Malon and I were already old when our son was born, and he was old when he married and had children. My wife and I were gone long before young Link entered this world, so he never knew of us. All my grandson had to know me by, were the stories which Rusl told him when he was a child. The only things that remain of my legacy in Hyrule are a few trinkets I left thought the kingdom, and the Tales of the "Ancient Hero" who long ago saved hyrule from evil, legends which every Hyrulian knows by heart.

It's so nice to be remembered.

My boy approaches the twilight, and is abruptly pulled in by Minda. After speaking with the light spirit here, they begin their search for the tears of light in Kakariko Village. The place has changed much since I was there last. It is now a dry and arid ghost town, which has seen better days. Most of the buildings are boarded up, and not a single structure from my era is still standing. The cursed well was long since filled, and the Spirit temple in the Graveyard had caved in, burying the ghastly horrors inside forever.

Sometimes, the passage of time is a good thing.

Kakariko was a growing community in my day, Impa's childhood home which she had opened to all the people of Hyrule. It served as a refuge for those fleeing from the castle town during Ganon's seven-year reign. In the decades the followed, the town prospered. But the heat from the volcano eventually dried the village out, killing most of the plant life. But this curse came with a blessing, for many hot springs were created, and Kakariko became a massive tourist attraction. Renado, the village Shaman, came to watch over one of the most pleasant towns in Hyrule.

If only it had stayed that way.

Inside one of the houses, the Hero finds all of the children except Illia, alive and being comforted by the town's survivors. He approaches their spirit forms, and soon learns what has happened. Most of the people who lived here went to rescue a woman who had been taken by a monster, and none of them ever returned. Now, the village Renado, his daughter, and a cowardly bomb merchant are all that remain. Determined to save them, Link crawls, climbs, and leaps from house to house, killing all the insects of darkness.

Pity about that Bomb merchant's shed.

As he climbs Death Mountain to collect the last of the tears, Link approaches a gossip stone. The wind howls though it, and my boy responds in kind. He enters the spirit world, and together we howl the song of healing, an old melody taught to me by the Happy mask salesman. The tune that once lifted curses now serves a a bridge between separate generations. I tell him to meet me in human form, and vanish into the light once more.

I'll be seeing him again, very soon.

The vessel of light is filled, and light returns to the village once more. Renado soon informs my boy of the plight of the Gorons, high on Death mountain. When he climbs the mountain to investigate, one of the Gorons aggressively drives him back. Those stubborn stone eaters are too proud to ask for aid, and my boy must return home to talk to the one man living who had bested them.

The Mayor of Orodon.

As the Hero is coming back down the mountain, he sees his panicked horse running to wards him. She throws two monsters from her back then begins running in circles in a frightened panic. Link quickly jumps astride her back, and gently soothes his mount. As I watch, a pang of jealousy runs through me. As close as Epona, my own horse, and I had been during my lifetime, it seems my boy has a far stronger connection with his animal. He is a far greater wrangler than I ever was. But I guess he should be close with the animals.

After all, the spirit of the savage beast is within him.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

He's going home.

Link is approaching Odoron village, the Town of his birth. He is coming to find out the secret that allowed Bo, the mayor, to befriend the Gorons. But there is something we must do first, if he is to defeat the evil in Hyrule. As the hero passes the Spirit's spring, a golden wolf appears, and leaps at him. My boy draws his sword, and both of them vanish in a blinding light.

It is time for lesson two.

As I appear before Link, I tell him of the Shield Attack he must learn. We cross swords once more, and once again my boy proves to learn this new maneuver quickly. As I speak to him, I am amazed at how calmly the Hero takes learning from a stalfos warrior. Truly, he possesses far more courage than the average Hylian, but I am beginning to suspect he knows far more about my identity than he is letting on.

Or perhaps it is just my wishful thinking.

The Hero returns home, and informs several anxious parents about the whereabouts of their offspring. He then speaks to the mayor, who reveals was able to befriend the Gorons by besting several of them in the combative sport of Sumo. It seems in the past century, the stone eaters had grown more aggressive, coming to respect strength and power. The displayed this strength in Sumo contests, and defeating them was someone's best bet in earning their respect. After teaching young Link this sport, he gave Link a tool that would throw the advantage of weight into his favor: the iron boots.

Sometimes, a little cheating is necessary.

As my boy heads back towards Death mountain, I think about several of the gruesome challenges that he has faced. Several times already, Link has battled the viscous Twilight beasts, which Zant drops through portals throughout Hyrule. Horrific monsters, with tentacles hanging from there mouths, these things are enough to give anybody nightmares. But perhaps tragically, these creatures were once innocent Twili, turned by Zant into his evil minions. As much as Minda and her manipulations disgust me, at least she would not do this to her own people.

I almost feel sorry for the deceitful witch.

He arrives back in Kakariko, and checks in on the kids once more. Colin is well, and is beginning to show some courage. Talo is in the watchtower, on the lookout for any monsters that may attack the village. Beth is holding up, trying to be Strong for the two other children. Malo, however, has opened his own small store in one of the abandoned buildings. When Link goes in to see him, the child sells him an item that is most familiar to me.

Great Goddesses, it's my old Hylian shield!

I had left that old hunk of metal with a family in Kakariko before I died, Malo must have found it in one of the old abandoned buildings in town. How strange it is that fate has brought it back into my family's possession once more. That thing is a relic now, as there are few warriors in the Hyrule who still carry one. Perhaps it will become some kind of heirloom in our family, hanging on the wall when some future descendant of mine must rescue his kidnapped sister.

Who knows what the future will bring?

My boy begins to climb the mountain once more. The first of the Goron guards rolls at him again, but Link uses the Iron boots to stand his ground, and casts his foe aside. One by one, he bests the attacking Gorons, and uses them as springboards to help him climb the massive peak. Death mountain has felt the winds of change just as much as any other location in Hyrule. Dodongo's cavern and the fire temple have been hollowed out into a single massive mine, in order for the Gorons to better mine the Rock Sirloin they must feed on. Mining equipment is scattered everywhere, and pipes used for ventilation stick out of every surface.

What happened to the mountain's natural beauty?

When Link arrives at the top, he is challenged to a contest of strength by one of the Goron elders. Using the iron boots, my boy sends Gor Coron tumbling out of the Sumo ring. The Gorons then tell him that their tribal Patriarch, Darbus, had been turned into a monster when he touched the fused shadow. They had sealed him deep in the mines, and begged the hero to find a way to save him. I can only look on at these events in disgust. Darbus's grandfather Darunia never would have just recklessly touched an artifact of evil like that. And the whole race, stubbornly attacking any human who tries to climb the mountain to help them...

How could the mighty Gorons have become so foolish?

This is truly painful to watch, the Gorons were my sworn brothers. Darbus's father was even named after me, because of the heroism I showed in clearing the dodongo's cavern.These stone eaters may be more aggressive then their ancestors, but they are far more ignorant and stubborn.Well, just as I saved them from starvation and being consumed by a dragon so long ago, so now will my Grandson save them now. As he enters the mines, my boy draws his sword, and squints his eyes as he enters the blinding heat.

I pray he is not roasted alive.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Goddesses, this place is still an inferno!

My boy wanders through the Goron Mines, leaping from platform to platform, and avoiding the intense bursts of lava that fire upward from below. Along the way, Link fends off Dodongos, fire slugs, flaming keese, and arrow-shooting Bumblins, as he tries to avoid being incinerated by the intense heat. Deep within the mines, the Hero finds magnetic walls and cranes, which he can stick to when he uses the iron boots. If I had had to walk across the ceiling upside down for any period of time, I most certainly would have become ill!

I'm amazed at how resilient he is.

All along the way, Minda is urging him on. Is it my imagination, or is her attitude beginning to soften? She is still marking her sarcastic remarks, but it seems as if the hash edge the Twilight Princess once had is slowly fading away. I can even detect a faint amount of concern for Link within her, and also a growing guilt over the fact that she is using Link to her own ends. Minda originally didn't care what happened to my boy or this world, but now she seems uncertain what she will do.

Perhaps I have misjudged her... we shall see.

If anyone could hear these musings of mine, they may say I was being a bit too harsh and bitter to wards everyone. When you are dead, your outlook on the world has a tendency to grow grim as the ages pass. The people you loved and the things you cherished slowly crumble, fade away, and disappear. All that you are left with are the memories of a better time ... of life. And then you see those who come after you follow in your footsteps, making the same mistakes, repeating the same tragedies, and there is virtually nothing you can do about it. Over time, being undead leaves you feeling hollow and empty inside.

That's why I chose the form of a skeletal Stalfos, I suppose.

My boy collects the pieces of the great key, which are held by three of the elders spread throughout the mine. Along the way, he does battle with a Stubborn Goron warrior who didn't hear that Link had been sent to help. The brute violently attacks the hero, but after being tossed into the lava a few times, he quickly gives in. moving aside he allows my boy to have the Hero's bow, one of my old trusty weapons. I had entrusted it to the Gorons when my adventuring career had ended. I am pleased to see that it made it to the next Hero.

Another piece of my legacy returns to the family.

Once he has assembled the key, my boy makes for the chamber the patriarch is imprisoned in. Several beamos fire their blasts at him, only to have their single red eye taken out by an arrow. When Link finally arrives, Fyrus grows angry at the sight of a Human, and breaks free of the chains that hold him. My boy avoids the swinging chains, and buries an arrow in the gem on the monster's head. As Fyrus screams in pain, the hero pulls on one of the chains, and Brings the monster down. The battle rages on, until Link's final sword stroke frees Darbus from his cursed form.

Once again, the Hero has triumphed!

Soon, my boy and Minda have the second fused shadow, and are on their way to wards the final light spirit. Just outside of Kakariko, they encounter Hyrule's postman, a ridiculous little fellow who runs all over the countryside. I chuckle inwardly at the sight of him, and am reminded of both an eccentric runner who once raced across Hyrule field, and a busy postman who worked in clock town. Perhaps he is descended from one of them. After handing Link a letter, he is off once again in a flash. It never ceases to amaze me the strange people who inhabit this world.

But now, back to the matter at hand. The Lanaryu province awaits!

I know what awaits him there, in the land covered in shadow. The domain of the Zoras, who guard the waterway that flows down into Lake Hylia. Hyrule Castle also stands there, a massive citadel surrounded by a prosperous town. Many people dwell there, unaware they are trapped in spirit form. Among those, is one my boy is seeking above all others.

Illia...


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

My boy is headed for Hyrule castle.

Having purified the Eldin and Faron lands of their vile twilight, the Hero moves on towards Lanaryu province. Passing through the twilight, he takes the shape of the beast again, and sniffs out the scent of Illia. Link follows the trail, killing the Twilight monsters along the way. The path leads him forward, towards a place I have not seen in a very long time. Castle town, the capital and center of all life in this kingdom.

It's good to see this place again.

This town was my first taste of life outside the Kokiri forest. The sights and sounds of the merchant's stalls, and the wide variety of people. It was in the old Castle Town that I first met Zelda- and my beloved Malon- when I was a child. It fell into ruin during the seven years I slumbered in the sacred realm, falling into disrepair under the evil king's iron rule. Following Ganon's defeat, the Hylian people built this new Castle town south of the old one, bigger and better than the original had ever been. Over the years, it has grown into a thriving center of commerce, where all the races come to do business.

I cannot believe misfortune has befallen here.

As Link silently passes though the streets, he sees the spirits forms of those who live here, totally unaware of what has transpired. He hears the shades whisper of a young Zora boy, who had come into Hyrule castle town wounded, and now lies injured at Telma's Bar. As the hero wanders inside, he finds the injured Zora... with Illia sitting beside him. My boy's gaze softens as he stares at her. I know he is relieved she is safe, but he is unaware at what has happened to her until now. Being dead, I am aware of all that has transpired with the girl from the time she was captured until now.

Link has no idea what she's been through.

After Capturing Illia and the other children, King Bumblin ordered his lackeys to take her back to their hideout in the Hidden Village. This almost-abandoned town is the former home of the Shekiah, the Shadow folk whose duty it was to guard the royal family. The Bumblins took the frightened girl there, and held her captive beside the aging Sheikah Impaz. The kind old woman eventually help her escape, but the experience was so horrific, that Illia has forcibly repressed those memories.

I shall not recall the horrors those monsters did to her.

While in the castle town, Link learns of the light spirit this province, and heads towards Lake Hylia. On the bridge over the lake, Link is lured into a burning deathtrap, trapped in the center of the bridge. With the flames racing towards him, Link leaps off, and lands in the water below. At least... what's left of the water. Just as it had been in my day, Lake Hylia has been drained of all it's water. Just as it had been in my day, Zora's domain had been frozen over, it's inhabitants trapped beneath the ice.

Can't Ganon come up with something new?

As the hero moves forward, I turn my gaze away from him, and towards Zora's domain. The place hasn't changed much, though Jabu-Jabu is gone. I can only look at this poor race with pity. Just as the twilight was falling over Hyrule, their Queen sent her son, prince Ralis, to the Castle to warn Zelda of The growing threat. After he had left, the monsters overwhelmed the Zora Guards, and Executed their Queen right before her people's eyes. As I stare down at their frozen forms, I suddenly find that I am not alone.

"Greetings, Hero of Time."

I turn to see the ghost of Rutella, former Queen of the Zora, floating in the air beside me. This woman is the daughter of Ruto, the sage of Water, and had inherited the Zora throne from her mother. With her long, hair-like head fin and piercing eyes, she is as elegant now as she was in life. "I have not seen you since I was but a child. It is an honor to be in your presence once more."

I nod courteously. "Thank you, your majesty. You are every bit the lady your mother was."

Ruetella smiled, and glided around in front of me. "Brave... intelligent and powerful. Just like mom described you." She gently placed a hand on my fleshless cheek. "Why have you taken such a harsh form?"

Saddened, I turn away."Time has not been kind to me, Ruetella." I reply softly. "I lost my eye years ago, and lost my humanity long before that." This woman's mother had been a very dear friend of mine, though she had desired to be much more than that. Princess Ruto considered herself my fiancee, due to an incident from our childhood. When she grew up, Ruto let go of her plans for engagement... but she never let go of her feelings. She remained a close friend, attending Malon and I's wedding, and even serving as one of Malon's bridesmaids. Zoras have a slightly longer lifespan than we Hylians, so she watched me grow old and die right before her eyes.

I cannot imagine how much it must have hurt.

"It's so sad that the hero who saved the world ... is so tortured." Ruetella closes her eyes. "I pray that you can one day find peace." As she faded out, I considered her words. My experiences as the hero had changed me. The horrors I had seen in the Shadow Temple, and in Ikana valley, had left me with scars I carried throughout my entire life, and beyond. The innocent boy from the kokiri forest was gone forever, and in his place stood a bitter old warrior.

The green tunic has passed to one who still has hope for this world.

As my grandson arrives in Zora's domain, I pull away, leaving Ruetella to speak with him. He will be stopping at the gossip stone on the way back to lake Hylia, and I'll be waiting for him there. After he collects the tears of light, it will be time of us to meet again ... time to pass the third of my lessons on to him. The Hero will need these skills if he is to survive against the foes he is soon to face.

Hurry, my boy... hurry!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Ruetella speaks with my boy, begging him to help her son. Link readily agrees, eager to help those in need. Midna thinks only of acquiring the Zora armor, which will allow them to enter the temple beneath lake Hylia and claim the final piece of the fused shadow. Turning away in disgust, I almost wish she had not offered the armor as a reward.

I must keep telling myself this is for the good of Hyrule.

Young link has collected almost all the tears of light, and was racing towards the final one. He expected to find one of the tiny insects of darkness, which his agile wolf form could easily pounce upon. What he found instead was a disgusting, bloated bug that spewed electricity in every direction. The foul insect flew over his head,releasing a powerful voltage far higher than even Barinade's electrical shocks.

utterly disgusting!

Evading the blasts, the Hero of Twilight jumped onto the bug's back, and sunk his sharp fangs into it's flesh. When the insect fell into the water, Midna unleashed her black magic, searing the beast. After a furious battle. The gross parody of a living creature curled up and died, releasing the final light tear. The final light spirit is restored, and the Twilight vanishes from Lanaryu province.

At long last, Hyrule is once again free from evil's taint.

My boy is transported to the spirit's cave, where he is told the tale of the Twili. He learns how this dark tribe was corrupted by the desire for the Triforce, and how they were defeated and banished for their misdeeds. Throughout this, Midna remains silent, saying nothing about her role in this, or the fact she is of the race the spirit is speaking of. She still intends to use the Hero of Twilight as a puppet.

I feel another surge of disgust towards that impish little trollop.

My boy heads back towards the castle, eager to reunite with Illia once more. On his way, he is aided by two freakish clowns who run a 'fantastication' business in the lake. I find it amusing that the shores of Lake Hylia are now inhabited by people more creepy than the scientist who lived there in my time. Still, the fat one does have some skill with canons.

Here he comes.

The Hero of Twilight approaches Castle Town, which is once again full of life. Coming to the east gate, he spots my golden wolf form atop a ledge, and climbs some vines to get to me. I leap forward, and the light engulfs us again. As I gaze upon his face, I see that his experiences had only served to harden him. In his eyes now burn a fire that feels almost... wild, feral. It's only a spark right now, but I fear it will only grow as time passes, eventually consuming him.

I pray the beast does not overcome the man.

Our training commences, and I teach him the back slice. Once again, he learns quickly, and performs the maneuver with deadly accuracy. Nodding to the Hero, I tell him we will meet again, and vanish. As Link makes his way though the restored city, memories of the past flood my mind once again. I can see a younger me at one of Queen Zelda's royal banquets, breaking up a fight between the ambassador of Holodrum and the ambassador of Labyrinia. In another memory, I am on my knees by the fountain, proposing to a red-haired ranch girl. In yet another, I see an older man in a green tunic lose his eye to a dagger in a barroom brawl

For the dead, past and present are hard to distinguish.

As he arrives at Telma's bar, my boy finds Illia and Telma still watching over the dying Zora prince, Ralis. The town's greedy old doctor tells Telma he cannot help, then leaves in an angry huff. It is then that Telma decides to rush the boy to the Shaman in Kakariko village, in a desperate effort to save him. Most of the town guards, being the cowards that are, only volunteer to escort them to Kakariko until they are reminded that the path is infested with monsters. While most of the castle soldiers rush out of the bar, Link is unwittingly volunteered to accompany them to Kakariko.

Sometimes, I wonder if my family's altruistic nature is a good thing.

I see the shock and sadness in the Hero's face when he realizes Illia doesn't remember him, and I know what he's going through. I felt the sense of loss when I had to say goodbye to Saria, my dear childhood friend, when I grew old and passed on, and she remained eternally youthful. But unlike myself, my boy has the chance to undo this tragedy, and get Illia's memory back. For them, there may be a happy ending.

I think I may even envy my grandson a bit.

Before my boy leaves the bar, he meets the members of the 'resistance', a little group telma lets meet at her bar. They feel something foul is happening in Hyrule, and are working covertly to put a stop to it. When they first meet my boy, they treat him with both cold contempt and ridiculing scorn. I do not fully blame them for this, as Link has yet to prove himself in their eyes. Yet, there is one among them who has a great deal of respect for Link, and knows the Hero far better than the rest of them...

I wonder when Rusl will reveal his identity to the boy.

As they prepare to depart, I gaze at the road they must take, I see that the Hero has his work cut out for him. My boy will be hard pressed to defend the wagon carrying the injured Zora, but I have faith that his courage will, in the end, prevail.

After all, it's in his blood.


	9. Chapter 9

The chase is on! 

As Telma's wagon races out of Hyrule castle town, my boy is right there beside it, guarding it's occupants from any harm that might befall them on the journey. Oh, how this reminds me of the time I protected Cerimia's milk wagon from the masked Gorman Brothers. The only difference being I was facing a pair of incompetent fools trying to destroy a milk shipment to Clock Town. My boy, on the other hand, is trying to protect an injured Zora prince from roving bands of monsters.

This is a far more perilous ordeal.

Because most of the other bridges in Hyrule Field are out, they have no choice but to take the western bridge. There, Link encounters a familiar face: the Moblin chieftain known as King Bulbin. He is the leader of the roving band of Moblins (a tribe called the Bulbins, after their leader.) who has been terrorizing Hyrule for some time. He and his lackeys are the ones who kidnapped the children in the first place, and Link had battled him once before to save Colin from certain death. Their last battle had left king Bulbin tumbling off a bridge into an abyss. Apparently, he had survived.

And it's time for round two.

King Bumblin and the Hero charge at each other, racing across the bridge as if they are in a jousting match. This time, Bulbin is armed with two shields, which he uses to deflect my boy's blows. After a few passes, my boy switches tactics, and fires a few arrows at the monster. This catches the big buffoon off guard, and sends him tumbling into the abyss once again. Recovering the keys to the locked gate that Bumblin had dropped, Link and the other continue on their way.

That monster never stood a chance.

As they continue onward, I gaze into the abyss, and see that Bulbin has survived his fall. Once again I wonder about this peculiar creature. I sense he is fighting the forces of good of his own free will, and yet I also sense that he is not evil himself. I suppose the brutish society he was raised in, fighting for Ganon's armies is all he has ever known. If that is the case, then King Bulbin is a truly pathetic creature indeed. Whatever the case, he is no longer a threat to the wagon.

But even without him, the danger is not over.

As they draw nearer to the town, the wagon is assailed by monsters of both land and air. Moblins unleash deadly volleys from the backs of their boar mounts, while attacking Helmarocks dive down from above. The Hero bravely fends them off, the slashes of his sword sending the riders tumbling off their mounts, and arrows from his bow send the monster birds tumbling to the ground. The wagon catches fire a few times, and is sent careening out of control. Thinking quickly, young Link sends his gale boomerang hurling at the wagon, snuffing the flames. Finally, the reaches it's destination, and tear madly though the gates of the village.

They are safe, for now.

As they enter the town, Renado and the children come out to greet them. Ralis is hurriedly rushed to the abandoned inn, where Renado sees to the prince wounds. The boy will recover, but for now will need rest. The crisis having passed, I begin to observe the happenings of all those currently in Kakariko. Telma has taken the opportunity to renew her acquaintance with Renado, whom she had a relationship with in times past. Renado, however had found the overbearing barmaid a little too hot for his tastes, and ended the relationship. Now, Telma is just as determined to rekindle their lost flames of passion, as Renado is determined to keep them extinguished.

She reminds me of my own fishy stalker from long ago.

I also see one of the girls from Odron is smitten with Ralis, even though she hasn't admitted it to herself yet. Illia keeps vigil over the Zora Prince, never leaving his side. My boy, lost in his own thoughts, is still disheartened about Illia's amnesia. Renado tries to reassure him, telling the Hero that he will do everything in his power to help get her memory back. Seeming to take strength from this, my boy turns his mind back to the task at hand.

Time to visit the queen once more.

Entering the Kakariko Graveyard, Link enters the Zora royal family's tomb. It is a serene place, filled with water. There is no foul redeads festering here, like there are in the nearby Hylian Royal tomb. As Link approaches the stone, Rutella appears before him, and rewards him with the Zora's Armor. Seeing this, I remember back to telling Ruetella's husband, the young Zora King, that a full suit of aquatic armor would serve a hero better that the flimsy Zora Tunic. He agreed, and developed this suit of Armor. It is an elegant piece of work, that allows full freedom of swimming, instead of simply breathing underwater like the Zora tunic did.

I wish it had existed when I battled Ganondorf.

As my boy leaves, Ruetella comes forth to speak to me once more. "Go, continue to watch over your grandchild, Hero of Time. I will remain here, and keep vigil over my son."

I nod, replying. "Thank you for giving him that armor, your majesty. Without it, his quest would most certainly have come to a skidding halt."

Rutella smiled again. "Noble warrior, even in death, you watch over the house of Link with an ever-watchful eye. You have always been a true friend to the Zora people, and because of that, we shall ever remain loyal friends you and your descendants."

Bowing low, I leave, and follow my boy out of the Tomb. After saying his farewells to everyone in the town , he departs, heading back towards the Lanaryu province. When he gets there, I pray that he takes some time to rest. For our next challenge is the biggest one thus far... one where I once faced a shadowy reflection of myself...

The Water Temple...


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

It is the Calm before the storm.

Now that the crisis with prince Ralis has passed, and Hyrule is in no immediate danger, the Hero has decided to rest a bit before entering the Water Temple. He returns to castle town, and spends some time unwinding there. I cannot fault him for this, as I did the same thing when I was rescuing Hyrule from the clutches of Ganondorf. Fishing, playing games in Hyrule Castle town, or practicing Archery at the Gerudo Fortress, I always rested between dungeons and temples.

After all, even a hero needs to relax.

Link visits several different places, taking in the sights and sounds of the city. He goes to the Fortune Teller, a portly woman who I believe has Shekiah blood in her. Gazing into her Crystal ball, she tells link of love and fortune in his future. Then, my boy talks with Agatha, a strange daughter of a rich Nobleman. Since she does not have any friends, the child imagines she is the princess of all insects, and asks the hero to bring her subjects to her.

A shame her parents are too 'important' to spend time with their child.

Deciding to leave town, my boy heads upriver towards Zora's domain. Along the way, he arrives at a place that I remember with fondness: Hyrule's fishing hole. It has changed location since my time, probably due to the fact the old pond on the shore of Lake Hylia had been all fished out. The current one is run by Henna, an attractive young lady who is the granddaughter of Hyrule's old master fisherman (Who has also inherited his scratching habit). She takes the Hero out in her canoe, and shows him the best spots in the pond to fish in. She shows him how to play roalgoal, a marble game of her own invention, and yells at him when he smashes her pots. Were it not for Illia's existence, I would say she would be a good match for my boy.

She certainly flirts with him enough.

When Link is about to leave, Henna tells him to visit her sister Iza's canoe rental business. When the Hero approaches Iza, she dismisses him... until she is attacked by the Twili beasts, that is. After my boy saves her, Iza quickly discovers his usefulness, and puts him to work clearing the driftwood out of lake Hylia, so her her boat service can run smoothly. Unlike her sister, Iza is a very business-minded woman. She thinks little of pleasure, and mostly about how to keep her business running smoothly. She is one extreme, the hard worker, while her brother in the Faron woods is a hopeless dreamer. Henna is in between her two siblings, a perfect balance of work and recreation.

Family reunions must be very interesting for these three.

After clearing the debris out of lake Hylia, Iza's Zora assistant tells my boy to keep the bomb bag her cranky boss gave to him as a reward. Making his way back up the River, Link heads up towards Zora's domain. There, the fish folk are mourning the loss of their Queen, and are distraught over the fate of their missing prince. As I view them, I observe that time has only made this elegant and graceful people even more stunning. Their eyes appear more human than I remember, and their skin now has a beautiful shimmering glow to it that seems to shift colors with their mood. Perhaps these things have always been there, and I never noticed them in life. I have seen stranger things in my day, such as when I attended the wedding of a Rito Nobleman who was marrying the Zora Sage of the Earth.

I do not even want to think about how that relationship worked.

After reassuring the Zora about their missing prince, Link dons the aquatic armor, and dives beneath the surface of Zora's river. As the breath mask snaps shut over his face, he swims swiftly down the river towards Lake Hylia. Upon reaching his destination, my boy dives deep into the lake, until he reaches the very bottom. Buying some aquatic bombs from a nearby Zora merchant, he quickly blasts his way into the temple's sealed entrance. As he swims in, I hesitate outside, remembering. The Lakebed temple was one of the greatest challenges I had ever faced. The raising and lowering of water levels, the horrific Amoeba who tried to drown me... but by far my worst experience there was fighting a shadowy replica of Myself, who mimicked my every move.

That was a battle I shall not ever forget.

Coming back to the present, I descend into the temple after Link. I am surprised, as the place has changed just as much as the rest of Hyrule has. A pulley and gear System now raises and lowers the water level, and a rotating staircase now grants access to all the floors. The Zoras must have installed this machinery during my lifetime, and totally remodeled the different parts of the Temple. I wouldn't know about it, because after my fight with Morpha, I never returned to this place again. I actually had no desire to see many of the Temples I conquered ever again, not wanting to relive the unpleasant experiences I had in those places.

Would anyone really want to remember going through the Shadow temple?

As my boy clears the Temple, I am somewhat relieved. No dark reflection of himself comes forward to chill his soul, only a disgusting giant Toad, which he easily dispatches. He finds the Clawshot, an upgraded version of an old toy of mine that allows him to grasp on to hanging hooks and switches. He fights on, wading his way through skull fish, chu chu gel monsters, and other foul beasts. finally, he comes face-to-eyeball with Morpheel, a giant nasty tapeworm who looks like it's descended from Morpha. The two lock into a fierce struggle, with the gargantuan worm almost swallowing him. As the battle heats up, Morpheel emerges from the ground, and begins circling the room. But the Hero is too much for him, and sends the colossal parasite to it's grave. Finally, the last piece of the fused shadow is recovered, and it's time to end this once and for all.

But... I suddenly feel things are about to go horribly wrong...


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter eleven

I thought the quest was over

and I was dead wrong.

Link returns once again to the Light spirit's domain, bringing the recovered Fused Shadow with him. Suddenly, the usurper Zant arrives, and takes the Fused Shadow from Midna. Empowered by his link to Ganondorf, The Twilight King easily overcomes Midna, Link, and the light spirit. After taunting Midna, he offers to let her return to the Twilight in exchange for helping him. In a move that shocked even me, she puts aside her Selfishness, and chooses Link over Zant's offer. Enraged, the Usurper cast Minda out of the Twilight, and cursed Link, trapping him in his Wolf form even outside the Twilight. Link and Midna barely escape from Zant with their lives.

Oh Goddesses, how did this happen?

How could I have deluded myself into believing that the Fused Shadow's magic could overcome the Triforce of Power? As the Hero carries the dying Midna back to wards castle town, I curse myself for not foreseeing this turn of events. I was so eager to see Link's quest ended, and his return to his normal life returned to him, that I deluded myself into thinking Zant would easily fall. But as I should know from my own battles, the quest to defeat evil is never easy.

It is unfortunate my boy had to learn that the hard way.

The hero runs through the streets of Castle town, and people flee from him in a panic. Because he is a wolf, he cannot communicate with people. They only see a monster, trying to attack them. Link tries to enter Telma's bar, but is quickly thrown out. Telma's cat recognizes my boy's scent, and shows him a secret way into the castle, through the sewers. Along the way, the Hero ends up in the house of Jovanni, a greedy man who sold his soul to poes in exchange for wealth, and paid for his riches with the loss of his humanity. He begs the Hero to save him from his curse, which reminds me of a family in Kakariko who were once cursed by gold skulltullas because of their greed.

It seems human nature never changes.

My boy climbs back to where the Princess of Hyrule awaits. Then, to my surprise, Midna begs Zelda to help Link, thinking nothing of the fact that she is only moments away from death. In another surprising move, Zelda sacrifices herself, allowing her spirit and the Triforce of Wisdom to flow into Midna, saving the imp's life. I look on , totally stunned at what has transpired before me. I had thought those two only cold-hearted manipulators, using my boy for their own ends. But now, I have seen both of them capable of sacrifice on a level that puts even my bloodline to shame. I now know that Midna has a good heart, even if it is dripping in her sarcasm.

I shall not misjudge her again.

As Zelda's body vanishes, I fear for the future of Hyrule. Now that the royal family is no more, the kingdom's people may give in to despair. And yet, some part of me believes that, in the end, there will be some way to save the princess. I can only hope that is the case. Link and Midna depart, heading for a place I know all to well. Before her sacrifice, Zelda told them of a powerful weapon that could not only break Zant's curse, but also be used against the foul Twilight King. Of all the weapons I have held in my hand, none ever felt more powerful... more beautiful and deadly... than the legendary blade of evil's bane.

The Master Sword.

There are as many tales about that legendary artifact, as there are about me. Some say it was made from Triforce residue, leftover material from when the goddesses departed that did not become part of one of the three triforce shards. Another tale tells that the Minish forged the blade, under the careful instruction and wisdom of the Ancient Sages, and that the sword has the power to split it's wielder into four separate beings. It is also told the blade is known by many other names, such as the Piccori Blade, and the Magic Sword. I do not know if these legends are true, I only know the blade holds great power, and may be the key to not only breaking the curse, but defeating the evil power of Ganon once again.

They are heading for the Lost Woods.

It's time for me to call in a favor. Arriving in the lost woods before they do, I search the endless corridors and pathways until I find an old friend... the Skull Kid. He's still the same as he always was, a playful little imp, unchanged by the ravages of Time. As I approach him, he is happily playing on his instrument, and dancing with his puppets.

"Oh, hello!" He says cheerfully as I approach, taking no notice of my hideous appearance. "Have you come to play, Link?"

I have to struggle to keep from laughing. "I'm afraid not, old friend. I have a favor to ask of you. My grandson is cursed, trapped in the form of a wolf. He is coming to these woods, and I need you to guide him to the sword."

"Awww!" He replies, sounding annoyed. "That doesn't sound like any fun. Why don't you do it?"

Looking down at him, my red glowing eye flares up, and my tone becomes serious. "Long ago, I saved you from an evil mask that would have consumed your soul. Now, I need you to aid me in this task. I am already interfering too much already."

"Ok, ok. I'll do it." He sighs in defeat. "Ya know, you really should learn to lighten up... ya big bonehead!"

Before I can get my hands on him, he is gone. The skull kid appears in front of my boy, leading him deeper and deeper into the lost woods. Hr turns the chase into a game, sending his puppets after the hero, while trying to evade him. Finally, he leads Link to his goal, then vanishes with a laugh.

Oh goddesses, I never thought I'd see this place again.

The Temple of Time... it is still magnificent, even in ruins. It was abandoned after Ganondorf's defeat, when Hyrule castle was rebuilt in a more central location in the kingdom. The old Castle Town and the Temple soon fell into decay, and the encroaching Faron woods grew up around it as the years past. It would not surprise me if the Goddesses sped up the decay of the Temple and growth of the forests, in order to protect the Master Sword. The location of the Temple was soon forgotten by all but a few, and now only a few walls are all that remain of this once-great structure. But as Amazing as this place is, it is what lies within that is truly important.

The blade is almost his.

When I claimed the master sword, I had to collect three spiritual stones to prove my worthiness. But there is no time for such foolishness with my boy; besides, the collection of the Fused Shadow pieces was enough of a trail-by-fire. The former door of Time is now guarded by two animated statues, who present my boy with simple, but annoying, puzzle. After solving it, he and Midna are allowed to pass.

It is time.

As they approach, the sword awakens, feeling the blood of the Hero nearby. The blade has slept ever since I slipped it back into it's pedestal so long ago, and is hungry to be used once more. With a surge of Power, the Sword restores Link to his human form, and he pulls it from the Pedestal of time. Seeing my boy hold the Magic Sword aloft, I look on in pride. With the blade accepting him as it's master, the mantle of the Hero has truly been passed. While he does not vanish into a seven year sleep as I did, Link still has many trials ahead of him.

And I will be there with him, every step of the way.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Now that he has regained his humanity, the Hero readies himself to face his next challenge. Thanks to Zant's curse, he can now change freely between Wolf and human forms. This may prove useful in dealing with the challenges ahead. Armed with the master sword, and the power to change shape, I believe there is nothing Zant can throw against him that he cannot overcome.

But now, it is time to find some answers.

Thinking that the group back at Telma's bar may be able to help, Midna and Link return to Castle town. When they arrive, the resistance apologizes to the Hero for their harsh treatment of him before, as Helping Ralis has proven his courage to them. The group is an odd assortment of people, all concerned with the danger pervading Hyrule, and all determined to do something about it. First in the company is Shad, a young man who mocked by boy for wearing the clothes of the Hero. A scholar and researcher, he is obsessed with the legends of "Sky People" who live above the clouds, and supposedly created the Hylians. Next is Ashei, the daughter of a former knight of Hyrule. She is well-trained in combat, but lacks social skills and has a gruff manner about her.

Such strength in a woman is very admirable.

The last member of the resistance present takes is helmet off, and my boy's jaw drops in surprise. It is Rusl, the blacksmith of Odoron who raised Link. He reassures the Hero, and tells him that they must do all they can to save the World from the gathering evil. The group then informs my boy of Araru, their Fourth member, who is at Lake Hylia doing research. Link then departs, and heads for the shores of the lake. There, he finds the old warrior perched atop a tower, gazing off in the distance towards the desert. Araru is a former tutor to the Royal family, he worked with the current Sages to educate princess Zelda when she was a child. There are few in Hyrule who know more about the kingdom's history than he. As a youth, he was always bothering the castle historians with questions of the past.

Oh, the Tales I could tell him...

He tells Link of the Arbiriter's Grounds, the massive prison in the desert. Araru believes it may hold the answers Link is seeking. He gives my boy a note, instructing Fyer, the canon operator in Lake Hylia, to shoot the Hero into the desert. It seems when he was younger, Araru once saved Fyer's life. It was now time to call in the favor. But before he goes, it is time for him to summon me once more. Approaching a gossip stone, my boy changes into a wolf, and lets forth a piercing howl. The Nocturne of Shadow is quickly learned, and then Link returns to human form.

I shall be awaiting him among the sands.

The quiet of Lake Hylia is disrupted by a mighty blast, as Fyer's cannon sends the Hero soaring into the Gerudo desert. This is a harsh place, with hot, scorching temperatures, and powerful sandstorms that can tear flesh from bone. The desert is vast, with large, flat topped mesas dotting a barren, sand-filled wasteland. Scattered throughout this vast desert are ancient Pyramids, built long ago by the Zuna tribe. They once had a great and powerful civilization out here, long before the kingdom of Hyrule even existed. But now, they have been reduced to a tribe of hut-dwelling nomads, living in peaceful villages scattered thought the desert. Also living out here are the Gerudo, the all-female race of desert thieves from which Ganondorf came. Their home is deeper in the desert now, so it is unlikely my boy will encounter them or the Zuna.

Where he is going, it is not the living he must fear.

My boy races across the scorching sands, killing small Lemolas that leap forth from below. He eventually approaches the Arbrtier's grounds, but finds that King Bulbin's group have set up an encampment in front of the entrance. Stealthily sneaking through, my boy picks off most of the Moblin guards with arrows. But while going through the endless passages, Link once again runs into an old adversary: King Bulbin. This time, the brute comes at the Hero swinging a large ax, but still lost to him in battle. Defeated, Bulbin limped away, and set fire to the wooden walls of the Moblin encampment. Thinking quickly, my boy leapt on the back of a Boar mount, and smashed his way out of the burning structure.

He has reached the entrance.

The Arbititer's Grounds were built in the years following my Victory over Ganon, after Six new Hylian Sages replaced Saria, Nabooru, and the rest of my old friends. It was a prison, designed to hold Hyrule's worst criminals. The Twilight Mirror, which the Twili had been banished through in ancient times, was brought here to be used as a tool of Execution. Every criminal held here was given a trial, and the six Sages would sit in judgment over the condemned on the roof. If the accused were found guilty, the Sages would swiftly execute them, and send their souls through the mirror into the Twlight realm. I attended one such trial myself, and watched in horror as the light Sage used his powers to lift a large, glowing sword, and send it hurling into the chest of a condemned murderer, ending his life.

And that poor soul was not the only one.

Again and Again the Sages carried out the grim duties of executioner. It disgusted me to watch as people were condemned to death without a fair Trial. After their foolish attempt to dispose of Ganondorf failed, the arbitrator's's grounds were condemned by the Royal family as inhumane. The Five remaining sages were ordered to stay in the abandoned structure, and watch over the Mirror, prisoners in their own Prison. Now, I must watch helplessly as my boy enters this foul place of Death.

Young Link... be careful...


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

This place reeks of death.

As my boy enters the Arbitertier's grounds, he shudders at the feeling of evil all around him. In this place still remain the souls of many of the inmates, those not wicked enough to send though the Twilight mirror, but were still executed for their misdeeds. Among them are the four poes, evil spirits, who in life were burned at the stake for being members of a cult that practiced human sacrifice. Then there is the Swordsman, a proud warrior who had decided to start hunting the innocent as prey. He was hung, and his soul imprisoned within his own blade. Even the prison guards are still here, as punishment for their mistreatment of the prisoners in life. They have become Gibido knights, whose blood-curdling scream can freeze a man his his tracks, and allow the Gibido to slash at him with it's mighty sword.

This is as bad as the bottom of the Kakariko Well.

Many of the spirits here will be going after my boy, but this time I cannot keep an eye on him. You see, most of the monsters we have encountered thus far could not see me, as I am nothing but a spirit now. But the evil ghosts in this place can easily detect the presence of another spirit. At least those horrors will be too busy concentrating on me to haunt young Link. He'll have enough monsters and ghosts to deal with.

"Heerrrroooo ooooffff Tiiimmme!"

They are coming now, I can see those shriveled souls approaching. Garbed in prisoners robes, and shackled in iron chains, and a fire of pure malice burns in their empty eye sockets. These are the some of the worst of Hyrule's criminals, many of whom I helped bring to justice.

"Have you come to join us, Hero of Time?" The voices whisper, as they surround me. Fleshless hands begin clawing at my armor, my body, and even my face, trying to drag me down. "There are many here who are just DYING to see you again!"

"Get away from me!" I roar in anger, swinging my sword wildly. Panicking, they scatter in every direction. It is a pointless struggle anyway, as I cannot harm them, and they cannot harm me.

"Go crawl back into whatever holes you haunt!" I spit, before going up through the ceiling. They are disgusting fiends, yet I cannot help but pity them. This place was built by the Royal family and the Old Sages (Saria, Ruto, and the others) as a place to reform these criminals. But when the Hylian Sages took over, they turned it into a place of punishment and torture...

... an execution factory.

As I glide through the endless passageways, I note the Gerudo-style statues scattered throughout the prison. This place was built over an abandoned temple of theirs, which they had no more use for. Every hallway and room is rigged with traps, and oozes ever-flowing sand to prevent escape. The prison was so perilous to travel through, that the guards would use Spinner tops to travel from floor to floor, glide over the unstable sand, and open doorways with.

A useful tool, I hope my boy is able to locate one.

I float up to the roof, and gaze around. The entire structure is shaped like a large coliseum, which only adds to the Macabre atmosphere. Above me are six large pillars, each with the symbol of one of the Sages on it. But I am not interested in architecture right now, as there are some people I wish to speak with.

"All Right!" I yell angrily. "I know you're here! Come out!"

Above me, the five remaining sages materialize atop their pillars. They look down upon me with expressionless, mask-like faces. The Light sage nods. "Yes, we are here, Hero. We know why you and your grandchild have come."

"Are you happy now, you fools?" I spit in anger. "Look at what your Zealous quest to 'punish evil' has brought Hyrule to!"

"Protecting hyrule from evil was our duty." The Fire Sage responds. "We were only doing what we thought was right."

"And look where that got you!" I screamed back. "Have you ever heard of compassion? Have you ever heard of mercy? The Sages before you were my friends, and they NEVER would have executed People like you have!"

"Calm yourself, Hero of Time" The Sage of the Forest replied sadly. "We have learned our Lesson, as the Sage of Water paid for our mistake with his life."

My anger calmed a bit, as I realized he was right. "If only you had realized that before this."

Below my feet, I can feel the lower floors shake. "Zant has just brought Stallord back to life." The Spirit Sage adds. "And He has shattered the Twilight Mirror."

"What?" I yell in Horror. Not only does my boy have to face that monstrosity, but the object we came here seeking has been destroyed!

"Do not fear." The Sage of Shadow states. "Your boy will defeat that horror, and then we will explain everything to him."

I nod, and descend through the floor, to watch as the hero does battle with Stallord. It was a colossal monster that had been rampaging though Hyrule, destroying everything in it's path. With the aid of the Knights of Hyrule, I managed to subdue the beast, and we brought it here for confinement. The Sages, in their infinite wisdom, wanted it alive as a specimen to study. Stallord was eventually killed in an escape attempt. Now nothing but a massive skeleton, it lives once more, seeking to end the life of Young link.

The battle goes well.

My boy Sends his Spinner flying into the beast's spine again and again, smashing each segment as he goes. Finally, Stallord is reduced to a head, and my boy chases him down with the spinner, attacking him again and again. Finally, the beast goes down in defeat, and the Hero is victorious yet again. He heads up to the roof, where the Sages will explain to him what must be done. But, it pains me to realize that he is being forced to fix the horrible mistakes of the past.

Hopefully, he will be able to build a better future.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The hunt for the missing Shards begins

The Sages tell my boy of their mistake with Ganondorf, and how Zant had shattered the Mirror of Twilight. There is only one shard of the Mirror still here. In order to save Hyrule, he must recover the three missing Mirror shards. One is hidden on snowpeak, one in the ruins of the Temple of Time, and one "in the Heavens" (Whatever that is supposed to mean.) . The Hero departs the Arbitrator's grounds, and returns to the desert. Out among the sands, I take the form of the golden wolf. In a flash of light, we meet once more.

There is something different about him.

When I appear, I see a new gleam in his eye- a hunger to learn whatever new move I have for him, and use it against his foes. The spirit of the wild beast grows within him. This time, I teach him the Helm Splitter, a powerful move that can cleave a foe's helmet- or his head- clean in half. When he preforms the maneuver, Link comes down on me with such ferocity that I'm barely ready for it. After he has mastered the Helm Splitter, I bid my boy farewell, and in with a flash of light, send him back to the world of the living.

It's time to return to Hyrule.

Back at Telma's Bar, Link informs the group of what has transpired in the desert. They, in turn, tell him that Ashei has gone to Snowpeak, to investigate the stories of a strange monster there. The Hero rushes to that snowy region, where he finds the female knight wearing a strange, hairy disguise. She tells link of the fur-covered creature who has been seen catching fish at Zora's domain. Thee knight shows my boy a picture of the creature, and I recognize it immediately. It is a Yeti, a peaceful inhabitant of these snow-covered regions. Although many thinks them monsters, the Yetis are an intelligent race, that are friendly to humans. I encountered them several times during my adventures.

But tracking them is not easy.

Returning to Kakriko, Link then asks price Ralis for any information, showing him the picture Ashei gave him. The prince tell him the creature feeds on Reekfish, a foul-smelling catch that is sacred to the Zoras. If my boy were to catch one and learn it's scent, he could easily track the Yeti's trail through Snowpeak. Ralis gives link his Coral Earring, which can be used as a lure to catch the sacred fish. Encouraged, he races back to Zora's domain, to carry out his plan.

I pity my boy's canine sense of smell, having to learn that foul stench.

Going on ahead of the Hero, I slip past Zora's domain, and into the frozen wild tundra of Snowpeak. These mountains are an endless sea of White, with blinding snows and biting cold. It would be very easy for a traveler to lose his way up here, and falls prey to the icy monsters that call this place home. Only the Yeti's eyesight can maneuver through the treacherous landscape. That is why Link must follow his trail. Soon, I see a dark colored wolf with an imp on it's back coming up the trail, killing White wolfos and Ice Keese as it goes. Eventually, he finds a large Yeti sitting in front of a tree, having just finished eating the Reekfish it had caught.

I almost laugh at the creature's appearance.

The Yeti is large, with whit fur covering his entire body. He has large, bulging eyes, and wears a Horse's saddle he found for a hat. Apparently, his name is Yeto, and he found the mirror shard, and took it back to his home. He agreed to give it to Link, if the Hero would race back with him. Knocking two frozen leaves off a tree, my boy and Yeto race down the mountainside, through the Twists and turns of Snowpeak. Straight towards whatever place this... Yeti...calls... Home...

Oh, Goddesses...not this place...

I know this mansion... it is a place of sadness and broken dreams. Snowpeak Manor... it was built long ago by a Knight of Hyrule, who wanted to get far away from the corruption in the Royal court, and the fanaticism of the New Sages. He brought his young bride here to live, and for many, many years they were happy. But the woman longed for the warm summers of Hyrule again, and it saddened her that their children were being raised in such a desolate place. Eventually, one winter got far harsher and far colder than all the winters before it, and took the life of the beautiful woman. The grief-stricken knight and his children took her body back to Hyrule, and laid it to rest beneath the field which she so loved. After that, the house was abandoned, and fell into ruin for many years. Yeto must have found the place abandoned, and decided to move in.

Why did the mirror shard have to end up here?

Yeto and my boy go inside the house, where Yeto's sick wife, Yeta, is sitting by a fire. He starts making a soup, to help her feel better, while my boy goes to speak to Yeta about the location of the Shard, and she tells Link that she put the shard in her room. Yeta had locked the door, and he would have to retrieve the key. What follows is a strange scavenger hunt, where the goes to different parts of the house to retrieve what he thinks, is the key, only to find another ingredient for Yeto's soup. Along the way, he fights Freezards, White wolfos, and strange Chilfos, who hurl Javelins. Whenever he becomes exhausted, my boy replenishes his health with a bottle full of Yeto's soup.

He should try selling that stuff in the castle town market.

As link fights his way through the house, I am overcome with sadness, as I think of the family that lived here. I picture the Knight, sitting at his desk near the fire, reading letters from Hyrule delivered by the Rito postman. I see the dining hall, filled to capacity with guests, as lavish feasts and banquets are held there every month. In the courtyard, I see a happy mother, playing with her children, as they wait for their father to return from a journey. In the Armory, I see the Knight showing his eldest son various suits of Armor, as the boy would have to follow in his footsteps someday. And finally, I see the Knight standing over his dying wife's bed, gently caressing her long red hair, and begging her not to leave him.

How could he possibly live without her?

As he explores the mansion, Link finds many cannons scattered throughout the grounds. They were put here by the knight for defense of the Manor, but my boy can use them to smash through the thick walls of ice blocking many of the passageways. In one room, the Hero encounters a Darkhammer, a armored Lizalfos warrior who swings a mighty ball and chain over his head, trying to smash Link with it. He dodges out of the way, and slashes at the beast's tail. My boy finally manages to would the creature mortally, and it his the ground with a thud. Link then claims the ball and chain as his own, as it will be another useful tool for smashing through the ice.

I wish I had found one of those.

Eventually, he finds the key, and (thanks to the soup) Yeta has recovered enough to take the Hero to the mirror shard. She leads him up to her bed chamber, and unlocks the door. But as she gazes into the shard, it's evil corrupts her. Encasing herself in ice, she becomes Blizetta, a monster determined to prevent my boy from taking the shard. She rains massive ice blocks down upon Link, which barely miss the agile young hero. Whenever she gets too close to him, he sends the ball and chain flying, cracking her own ice crystal a little more. After several of these strikes, the ice totally shatters, and Yeta collapses to the floor. Minda collects the Mirror shard, just as Yeto comes barreling into the room, tossing Link aside like a rag doll. His beloved wife lies in this place, hurt. And he so desperately wants to help her.

I know how he feels.

Yeta's eyes flicker open, and she asks about the shard. Yeto tells her she doesn't need it, and embraces her with love. Minda tells my boy the two wish to be alone, and they leave the room. I too depart, leaving the couple to their privacy.I had never wanted to see this place again, because of all the pain that still lingers on these grounds. Although so much grief and sadness happened here, it is easy for one to forget that there was happiness here, too. Now, a new couple has made the manor, and found their own happiness together.

I wish them the best of luck.

As we leave the Mansion, I look ahead to the third shard. It lies within the Temple of Time, another place where my life was changed forever. But before we can go after the Shard, the Hero must make some preparation for this next leg of the journey first.

Hyrule will be safe, as long as my family is here to protect it.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The Second Mirror Shard has been recovered.

But before we journey to the Temple of Time, my boy decides to see to some smaller matters throughout Hyrule. He collects several of the bugs Agatha wants, earning him a valuable reward from the rich young 'princess of the bug kingdom'. I believe he did it more out of pity for the lonely child than anything else. He also aided the greedy Jovani, collecting the many poes scattered across the land in an effort to restore the man's soul to him. After the hero kills several of the creatures, Jovani and his cat regain the ability to move. He still, however, has the appearance of a gold statue, and Deosn't't want his girlfriend to see him like this. Jovani begs Link to hunt down even more poes, so he will look human once more. My boy decides to help, as a hero must aid every person in distress.

Even the sad fools like Jovani.

During his adventure, young Link found a shop in castle town that sold a highly valuable suit of enchanted Armor, that made the wearer totally invulnerable to harm from foes. But the prince on it is far higher than anyone save the royal family themselves could afford. It seems Chudley, the greedy shop owner in castle town, is overcharging on everything. He is using the fact that Castle town is largely cut off from everywhere else by the crisis, to make the people pay his high prices. Deciding to teach this miser a lesson, My boy donates a thousand Rupees (collected during his battles and adventuring) towards getting the bridge west of castle town repaired. This restores the flow of cheap goods to Hyrule, and gives Chudley a severe kick in the Wallet.

When the hero learns that his actions have failed to get that idiot to lower his prices, my boy decides that more drastic measures need to be taken. He gives Malo the money to buy out the store in castle town. (For some strange reason, aiding a goron by giving him some hot spring water mysteriously lowered the price.) The store then becomes Malo Mart, and Chudley is reduced to a ridiculously dressed salesman, bowing and scraping before the customers. The prices on everything immediately comes down, and the store becomes a hit with the common people. Link easily buys the Magic Armor, but discovers, to his dismay, that since link has no magic power (as I did in life) the Armor's magic uses his rupee supply as it's fuel source.

It seems protection from harm comes at a great price.

After accomplishing these minor tasks, My boy returns to the group to update them. From the resistance, he then learns that Rusl is awaiting him in the Faron Woods, where he will aid the hero in gaining access to the lost woods. Racing on ahead of Link and Midna, I enter the lost woods, and approach the Skull Kid once again.

"Alright, what do ya want this time, bonehead?" he grumbles at me.

"I need you to lead my boy to the Temple of Time again." I reply coldly. "No arguments."

"Yeah, sure, whatever." he complains. "You use to be more fun when you were a kid! Heck, you used to be More fun when you still had a pulse!"

I growl at him, and he vanishes. But I cannot help but feel there may be a grain of truth in his words. There was a time that I had been an optimistic hero, willing to see the good in any situation. Now, all I see is the worst in people, what has happened to me? Time happened, I remind myself, time and all the troubles the world has piled upon my old shoulders. All the mistakes I've made over the years have affected so many people. Remember that knight who I spoke of before, who took his wife to live at the mansion he had built on top of Snowpeak manor?

That knight was me.

I took my beloved wife away from her fields, her beloved horses, and the Ranch which I had sold off, to live in such a desolate place. All because of my disgust with what was happening in Hyrule at the time. I didn't want my family tainted by the corruption of the Hylian sages, and I was blind to the pain I was causing by making Malon leave the only life she had ever known. Was... was it the sickness and the cold that took her life, or was it a broken heart?

Oh Goddesses, what have I become?

I am pulled away from my painful thoughts, Young Link approaches the lost woods. The Skull Kid leads him back to the Temple of Time, making the game even harder than last time. Finally, my boy reaches the Temple, and enters the Sacred Grove. He passes through the ruins of a large circular area, which was the old Castle town market. In the center, where once stood a beautiful fountain, is now dried up and filled in. Wandering through the ruins, he finds his way though a caved in Section of the Temple's wall, and back into the center of the Temple itself. After speaking With Midna, The Hero decides to strike his sword to the Pedestal from which he first drew it, which makes a Statue blocking his path vanish. Going up a set of broken stairs, he finds a surprisingly still intact door. Without thinking, her enters it, and I follow...

Amazing, simply ... amazing!

Passing through the door, he walks into a still intact Temple of Time. I do not know wither we have traveled through time, or are in another dimension, but here we stand, in a place that crumbled into the dust long ago. I will not even pretend to understand how the goddesses make time work, even though I was once the Hero of Time. It is as great a mystery as when I defeated Ganondorf, and was sent back to my childhood by Princess Zelda to live out my lost childhood. I traveled the world for seven years, and had my grand adventure saving Termina from a falling moon. Yet when I returned to Hyrule after those Seven years had passed, I found that all the events of Ganondorf's reign had already happened, and he was sealed up in the Dark World. Apparently, as the Sages later explained it to me, two of me had existed at the same time: the Child me from the past, who slept for seven years, awoke the sages, defeated Ganondorf, and then was sent back to his own time. And the present day me, who was outside of Hyrule searching for Navi during those seven years, and came back to Hyrule after my past self had been turned back to a child, and gone back to his own time.

I try not to think about it too much, as time paradoxes make even a spirit's head hurt.

As my boy and Midna look around the Temple of Time in wonder, more painful memories from the past bubble up. This was the place Malon and I had our wedding, only a year after my return to Hyrule. The Temple was crowded, as members of all the Races had come. Darunia was my Best man, as he was my sworn Brother... and closest thing to a real brother... I've ever had. Nabooru, who had befriended Malon through their mutual love of Horses, was the Maid of Honor. I felt an aura of Sadness coming from Saria and Ruto, but could think of nothing of comfort to say to them. It was one of the happiest days of my life.

How I wish I could expunge that painful memory now.

My boy walks up towards the Pedestal of Time, and again strikes his blade against it. Ahead will probably be the path to the next shard, and knowing Ganon, a whole horde of monsters guarding it. But in the Mirror of Twilight is to be restored, we must press on, into the unknown. For when faced with such a challenge, it is the only thing a hero can do...

Forget the past...and move forward.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

This place is remarkable.

My boy arrives in a large chamber, filled with statues and architecture of a type I have never seen before. In all my trips to the temple of Time, I had no idea this place was even back here, nor did I know that there was a set of steps that could appear behind the pedestal of time that actually led somewhere. Once again I am reminded that I know very little about the temple of time... I am not even aware of who built it! Though, I do remember hearing something from a scholar in Hyrule castle about the ancestors of the Hylians, having been the ones who constructed the Temple of Time. As I stare up at the large, bell-shaped object over my head, I begin to realize that even I, theSHero's shade, do not have a full grasp of the land of Hyrule, or it's ancient and mysterious past.

I'm as much in the dark here as the Hero is.

Looking around the room, Minda notices that there is only one statue flanking the door, where it looks like there should be two. Link nods, and used the old "pot-on-switch" trick to open the door. (A maneuver I came up with during my lifetime.) As he is about to go up the stairs, Occoco and her child come racing up, and ask the Hero to let them tag along on his trek through the temple. These strange bird creatures have shown up in every dungeon so far, accompanying Link inside, and offering to teleport him back outside if he needed it. I have not mentioned these Occoca much, or given them thought, until now. I had just dismissed them as another of the strange races that inhabited the World of Hylia. But after hearing about the artifact that Occcoco has been looking for being here... and remembering Shad's ranting about the 'sky people' who created the Hylians ... I'm beginning to slowly put the pieces together here.

Though I still have an incomplete picture

My boy begins to work his way up from floor to floor, killing Gohmas -small, one-eyed spiders- and Lizalfoses -large Lizard men armed with weapons - as he goes. This structure seems to be a large tower, which may have stood next to the main body of Temple of Time at one point. I am curious about the large, Bell-shaped structures on each floor... perhaps this place was a bell tower of some kind. Farther up, Link encounters several Armos statues: Mechanized defenders who were built by the Minish to guard temples and dungeons in ancient times. Ganon's troops have since reprogrammed the Statues to attack the hero on sight. Finally, he reaches a large room, where there is a statue similar the one on the first floor. But there is also a dangerous foe, waiting to Strike.

A Darknut.

I have heard of these enemies before, deadly armored Knights skilled with Axes and Swords. They are similar to the Iron Knuckles I faced back in my day, but appear to rely more on skill, and less on raw power. My boy engages in a vicious battle with the knight, dodging his Axe, and Slashing him with the Master sword again and again. Soon, the Darknut is down to his basic inner armor, at which point he switches to use of a sword. The Hero keeps up the battle, and blade clashes with blade in a battle of swords. It is a close call this time, however, as The Darknuts is able to get some good hits in on Link. I regret not being able to show him more sword skills before he entered the temple, it is a situation we will have to remedy when he is finished in here. The Darknut continues to put up a nasty fight, but my boy is able to land a decisive blow, and the evil knight goes crashing to the ground.

Good night...knight

Within the room, the Hero finds the Dominion rod, a powerful tool that grants him control of many of the statues throughout the tower, such as the one within this very room. Apparently, this is the tool that Occococa was looking for all this time, and she believes it is the key getting her and her offspring back home. Using the Rod, my boy commands the statue to move. It mimics his actions, moving forward as he walks. I soon learn what the giant bells are for, as Link leads the statue under one, and the bell transports it to the floor below. My boy makes the statue use it's hammer, which crushes the enemies it hits with it's mighty power. He takes the statue from floor to floor, fighting his way down, until it is back by the entrance. When the hero places it back on it's pedestal next to the other one, it opens the path to the missing mirror shard.

Hm, I do believe I know what this place was used for.

My boy enters a large chamber, with four large statues with massive fists in each of the room's four corners. This may just be speculation on my part, but I think this place actually was indeed Temple of Time's bell tower. But instead of the Teleportation bells being struck, I think these four large statues would slam there hammer-like fists into the floor all at once, making the entire structure shake. This would ring all the bells throughout the tower at once, and the combined sound could be heard all throughout Hyrule. The Dominion rod was basically the control device for the entire Tower, and the bell's teleportation ability was probably used to transport large objects from one floor to the next, in order in maintain and repair the tower. My only question about this place is... why wasn't anyone in my time aware of it? It must have fallen out of use before even my birth, but certainly the Royal family knew of it's existence. Why would a wondrous place like this be kept from the common populace?

I feel there is a deeper secret that the Royal family is keeping.

Before I can muse further, a massive black shape drops down from the ceiling, and begins crawling across the floor. It is a Ghoma, but one far larger than any I've ever seen before, even Queen Gohma herself. Making her way back up the ceiling, she begins to crawl around. My boy pulls out his bow, and when the eye on her back opens, fires an arrow straight into it. She falls from the ceiling, and my boy uses the dominion Rod to bring one of the Statue's fists crashing down on her. Angered, she climbs back up towards the ceiling, then unleashes a wave of eggs upon the hero, which he quickly destroys. Araghoma (as I shall call her) fires a massive laser out of her eye, which my boy doges with ease. The battle raged on, and after being Stuck by the statue's massive fists twice more, the overgrown Arachnid's body shrivel up and dies.

Wait, is that...it's eye?

Rather comically, Aragohma's spawn run around the room with the eye, trying to protect it from harm. A few well placed arrows from Link puts an end to the farce, and the last of Aragohma is finally destroyed. Minda glides forward, and collects the Mirror shard, then they depart from the temple. When we get outside again however, things take a turn towards the strange. The dominion Rod mysteriously loses power, and Occoca runs away, complaining that she and her child have lost their way home. I now believe I understand why that place was kept a secret. The Temple of Time was built by the Sky People, and the tower contained their highly advanced magic... magic that, in the wrong hands, could be used for evil.

And that is the last thing Hyrule needs.

I am now certain that Occoca is from the realm of the Sky, and that the royal family have remained in contact with the Sky folk, even down to the present day. From the way that sage said the final shard was in 'the heavens', I'd bet my one good eye that Occoca's home is what he was talking about. I just wonder what her race's connection to the creators of the Hylians might be? It is a mystery that will have to wait, as it is time to train my boy further in the art of the sword. I did not like how difficult it was for him to defeat that Darknut, and I want him to be ready for whatever else may lie ahead.

My boy, I am waiting for you...


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"Let teachings of old pass to you"

They are simple words, spoken each time I bring my boy into the light to be trained. These techniques were ones I learned during my fifty-seven years of life, when I was traveling around and saving Hyrule from the evils that threatened it. I will now teach them to my grandson, so that he, too, may follow in the path of the hero that he has chosen.

Unlike his stupid father...

My boy approaches Hyrule castle, and finds me at the southern entrance, waiting for him. When he had first entered the sacred grove, he had howled the Prelude of light at the Gossip stone which stands there, so I know ready to train with me further. As the light engulfs the Hero, and brings him before me, it is hard for me not to tell young Link how proud I am of him. How he has fulfilled my every hope and dream for our family, and become the man I wished him to be.

Unlike my failure of a son.

Link's father was the very definition of a fool. Stubborn and headstrong, he was determined to live his own life, the way he wanted to live it. "I want to be my own man!" He told me several times. "I don't want your stupid destiny, or the future you've chosen for me!" We fought over this issue several times, each time louder than the last. My son wasn't concerned with what happened to the rest of Hyrule, it could be destroyed or enslaved for all he only thing he cared about was himself. Young Link is much more like me than his father, ready to sacrifice his very life for the kingdom and it's people.

Unlike that incompetent buffoon.

I teach him the Mortal Draw, a deceptive maneuver where Link approaches an enemy with sword sheathed, then draws his sword to strike at his foe when he least expects it. It leaves the swordsman open to attack before he can strike, but kills the opponent in a single deadly blow. He learns the mover quickly, and performs it on me so perfectly, that I am lucky I am already dead. He is skilled warrior, who may even one day surpass me. It is proof that anyone who follows in my bloodline can become the greatest of swordsmen.

Except for that moronic clown.

What was wrong with my son? Did he think I liked trying to force the path of the Hero on him? I only wanted to make sure that there would be someone to protect Hyrule after I was gone, but he seemed to think I only wanted to make his life miserable. Even after I gave up trying to make him into a warrior, and accepted him for who he was, my son still hated me. I've always wondered if he blamed me for the death of his mother, something I would not blame him for. I always tried to be there for him and his sisters after Malon passed, but I was not always able to balance being a hero and a father. Couldn't my son understand that?

Stubborn hypocrite.

When my boy had climbed Snowpeak, he had found another gossip stone there, one at which he howled a new tune. (After using so many songs I had learned along my travels, I decided to try my hand at composing my own). He now approaches the Kakariko graveyard, eager to learn the Jump strike, an attack where Link charges his blade, leaps into the air, and comes down with a mighty stab that shakes the very ground beneath him. The shock wave that knocks me off my feet is proof that he has learned the sixth move, as I knew he would. There is nothing my grandson cannot accomplish, when he sets his mind to it.

His father would have had it otherwise.

My son swore that not only would he not follow in my footsteps, but he would forbid his own children from taking up the sword. "The legacy of the hero ends with you!" He spat angrily during my funeral. Fate had other plans, however, as a pack of wolfos found him and his wife while they were walking in the Faron Woods one day.

My "stupid Sword lessons" sure would have come in handy then.

Although both my son and his wife were killed, their young son was found and taken in by Rusl, the Ordon village blacksmith. He named my boy "Link", after the legendary hero that saved Hyrule, and taught him to respect and love the path of the Swordsman. Brave and Noble, Rusl was a far better parent to young Link than his own father ever would have been. His teachings prepared Link well for the path of the Hero which he has now chosen to take. I could not have asked the Goddesses for a better man to raise my grandson.

I wish my own son had been more like him.

Young Link heads back towards Hyrule castle, to confer with the resistance. Believing Shad's research of the Sky Folk may hold a clue to the Location of the final Mirror shard, my boy heads for Kakariko village. I look on in eager anticipation, for solving this mystery will not only recover the last Shard, but may reveal a secret about the very origin of the Hylian Race itself. Whatever happens, I now know that my grandson is ready for whatever foes stand in his way, as I was able to pass on my teachings to him. My skills have been "Hewn into his mind", and knowing them may save his life.

Now if only I could have saved his father...


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

We have arrived in Kakariko.

After catching up with his friends, Link heads into the basement of Renado's home. There has been some excavation going on down here, and it has revealed the Owl Statue that Shad is now staring at. Links speaks to the young Archaeologist, who again tells the Hero about about the Occoca, who who he believes are the ancestors of the Hylians. Apparently, his father had spent his life researching information on the Sky people, and had written all his findings down in a journal, which he has passed on to his son. Shad is picking up where his father left off, seeking clues to prove the existence of the Sky folk. He has come here to study the Owl statue, which appears in his father's notes.

This boy's knowledge may prove useful.

Apparently, there are several of these statues standing all throughout Hyrule, though this one is unique, in that it has a small... seal of some kind on it, with the words "Awaken us with the word that breaks the seal." written in 'Sky Writing', which Shad says is the language of the Occoca. Looking at the statue, I notice a similarity between it's design, and the design of the statues in the Temple of Time. If Link could somehow restore power to the dominion rod, he could possibly move these Owl statues around ... well, all but this one, at least. We'll have to find this 'command word' before we can do that.

This mystery gets odder and odder.

It appears we've run out of leads, until Shad mentions that Illia has mentioned something about a "Rod of the Heavens", which sounds a great deal like the Dominion Rod. During her time with Bumblin's goons, she may have uncovered a clue about how to restore power to the rod, but it has been repressed along with all of her other painful memories of her captivity. I know my boy was simply going to allow her to recover her memory slowly, but it is imperative that we get that information as soon as possible. Renado suggests that Link retrace her steps backward, so that he might find a clue that will restore her memory. Since it was Telma who first cared for Illia, it is back to Castle town to speak with her.

My boy must go, because Renado does not wish to see Telma again...

When he arrives, Telma tells the Hero that Doctor Boreville, the town physician, was the one who brought Illia to her bar. She gives link the doctor's bar tab to use as leverage to make the doctor talk. It works, as the good doctor beings to ramble about how he can't pay his tab. During his ramblings, he mentions a small statue that the Illia was carrying when he treated her. He took the statue and was going to sell it, but some medicine got spilled on the statue, and when he out it out to clean it, it was stolen. Using the scent of the medicine, (and the aid of Louise, Telma's cat) Link is able to track down the Statue, and recover it from the monsters who now possess it.

I know the design of that statue.

When the Hero shows the Statue to Illia, it triggers a memory of her being trapped in a hidden place, confined with someone. A Goron Elder who is present recognizes the statue's design as well, and tells Link of a Hidden Village, where a tribe that once protected the Royal family lived. That is where my boy will find the answers he seeks. I already know the tribe he speaks of: The Sheikah, a race of Ninja's who protected and served the royal family even back in my day. Zelda's nursemaid Impa was of their number, and Princess Zelda even disguised herself as a Shekiah boy during Ganon's reign, in order to remain hidden. It was the Shekiah who gave me this suit of armor I now wear, as a gift for my service to Hyrule.

It seems to suit me better than the green tunic now.

My boy makes his way to the Hidden Village, where he finds a Horde of Bulbin's thugs encamped. I already knew Illia was being kept here, but being a spirit with a limited ability to interfere kind of kept me from being much of a help, or telling Link of her whereabouts. The Hero stalks through the village, picking off Moblin after Moblin as he goes. Flaming arrows whizz past his head, and Link's own arrows find there mark, sending the beasts tumbling down from their hidden perches one by one. Finally, the last monster falls, and Link begins to search the village for any signs of life.

While I simply look around, and remember...

It's hard for me to picture this place as it once looked, when Zelda lived here during her seven years in hiding. This is where the Sheikah lived, worked, and trained, always honing their skills in the arts of combat and stealth. As the Hero, I was even allowed to visit here a few times, and was impressed by the Shekaih's dedication to their duty. Many believe that they are extinct now, but that is far from the truth. They have simply relocated their hidden village elsewhere, as they relocated here from Kakariko when Impa opened that village up to all the people of Hyrule. The Sheikah always cultivate the illusion they have died out, but they will always be there, protecting the royal family with their Ninja arts.

Are you sure that was just a shadow you saw behind you?

Link eventually finds Impaz, an elderly Sheikah who chose to remain behind when the rest of the tribe moved on. She was named after Zelda nursemaid, who founded this village so long ago. Impaz has stayed here, even after the monsters came, out of her people's sense of duty and honor. It was her who helped Illia escape when the Moblins brought her here, and she had locked herself away until The Hero managed to slay them all just now. She thanks my boy, and recognizing him as the boy Illia had spoken of, and asks him to return Illia's charm to her. But it is when the Hero shows her the Dominion Rod, that something remarkable happens.

Even I was surprised.

Impaz's eyes light up, and she recognizes the rod immediately. She tells Link he is the one she has been waiting for, and gives him a book, written in the ancient language of sky writing. The book was passed down by her clan, with the instructions that it be given to the "Messenger of the Heavens", when they appeared with the rod. Elated, my boy races back to Kakriko, now possessing with the Rod and the book. He may now actually have the key to restoring Illia's memories.

Dear Goddesses above, please let this work...

He takes the charm to Illia, gently placing it in her hands. She gazes at the small trinket, and slowly memories from the past bubble up from within. She remembers her home, her father, and her childhood with Link. The look of happiness on Link's face when she recognizes him would move me to tears, if a Stalfos were able to cry. My boy has the girl he loves back, he has a chance for happiness. When I see Illia and Link together, I see myself and Malon, young and carefree again, our whole life together ahead of us. I can only hope my boy and her will be as happy as we were, without the sorrow and misfortunes that befell us.

Did I detect a twinge of sadness coming from Link's shadow?

Once Link has made sure Illia is safe, he takes the book below to Shad. Ecstatic, Shad immediately begins to chant an incantation from it's pages. Sadly, the spell has no effect, as some letters are missing from the book. The youth hands the book back to the Hero, and mentions trying the incantation on the other Owl Statues in Hyrule. What Shad doesn't realize, is that the Spell has restored power to the rod. My boy's eyes light up, and right away I know what he plans to do. Link begins traveling from Owl Statue to Owl Statue, using the rod, and uncovering the hidden sky letters written beneath them.

I think I've figured most of this out.

It seems that, in addition to controlling the Temple of Time, the rod was used by the Royal family to communicate with the sky folk. It is my guess that, as a security precaution, the rod was designed to lose power if it were taken out of the Temple of Time. The incantation in the book was to be used to restore power to it, and once the missing Letters were recovered, remove the seal on that final owl below Kakariko Village. Behind that lock, is probably the method to travel to the realm of the Sky. It was a complex puzzle that had to be unraveled before a person could travel to the Sky Realm.

There is just one thing that troubles me.

All of this advanced magic, the Rod, the Temple of Time, the very Hylian Race itself... all of this was made by the Occoca? As I said before, I have a hard time believing that Occoco's race are the sky folk, in fact I am almost sure they are not. What I think is more likely is the "Sky People" are a race that made The Hylians, the temple, and The Occocoa, and then abandoned their home in the sky to move elsewhere. After the Sky folk had left, their Servant race, the Occococa, took over the former home of their masters, and as the Ages past, the legends mistook the Occoca for their creators. But if this is the case... then who were the sky people, and where did they go?

That may remain a mystery forever.

When Link has collected all the Sky letters from beneath all of the Owls, he returns to Kakariko. He finds Shad in the basement once more, and shows him the now-completed spell. Excited, the youth reads off the incantation once again, and this time the seal on the Owl statue vanishes! When Shad leaves the room for a moment, my boy uses the dominion rod to move this last Owl statue. Behind it, He finds an ancient cannon, which looks like it has the power to launch someone high up into the Clouds. So this is how people visited the Sky Folk, what a painful way to travel! The Cannon appears to be broken, but that is a problem that I believe a visit to the Cannon man on Lake Hylia can easily Remedy.

Land of the Sky, here we come.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Goddesses, I cannot believe this place even exists!

My boy has arrived at the City in the Sky, the Home of the Occoca. This city is a wonder, a massive super-structure floating high above the clouds. Huge propellers, powered by massive machines, keep the entire city aloft. The combination of magic and technology in this place is far more advanced than ANYTHING I've ever seen on the world below! I am certain this Palace of the Winds was built by the same Civilization that constructed the Temple of Time, and created the Hylia!

But who were they?

Link and Occoco land in a small pool, and another Occoca comes out greet them. The excited Bird creature tells them that a large Dragon has attacked the sky city, and all their people are in danger. The two bird folk race into a nearby shop, and the Hero follows them. After much discussion, my boy agrees to help rid them of the massive dragon, while also hunting for the mirror shard. He then heads for the other door, and begins to make his way through the castle.

And what a trek he has ahead of him!

The city is treacherous, with long bridges that extend out into the open stratosphere. One wrong step could send an unfortunate adventurer tumbling many miles downward, to their doom. There are many rooms with no floors, or ones with floors that give way at the slightest step. Clawshot holds are spread throughout the palace, but some of them give way and fall off under my boy's weight. The Spinner comes in handy, as Link discovers that it can act as a spinning key, Turning gears and extending bridges. And the Occoca are everywhere, spread throughout the city, ready to give my boy a lift whenever he needs it.

The Occoca...

As I gaze at the wonders of this place, I remember my thoughts earlier on the "Sky people". I am more convinced now more than ever that the Occoca and the Sky folk are not the same race. It may just be my speculation, but I think the Sky people were an advanced society, much like the Hylians, only more enlightened. They may have even have been the race that built the Temples of the Sages all throughout Hyrule, and defeated the Twili in the Ancient Wars. I continue to wonder about their identity, until I notice a version of the Sheikah eye decorating all the doors in the palace.

So that's who the Sky folk were!

Using my spirit abilities to translate, I read the sky writing in different parts of the city, and a remarkable story begins to unfold before my eyes. In ancient times, Sheikah must have had a mighty Civilization up here in the Sky, and down in what would become Hyrule. When the Twili grew mighty in magic, they made an attempt to steal the Ttriforce from the Sacred Realm, and the Sheikah rose to stop them. The war went in the Twili's favor, until the Zuna entered the war on the side of the Sheikah. The Twili were defeated, and banished through the Twilight and Dark Mirrors, the two gates to the Twilight Realm (Though the Twilight Mirror is the only one of the two remembered now).

But the victory came a high price for the winners, as both civilizations collapsed soon afterward. The Zuna took the Trident of Darkness, a weapon used by the king of the Twili, back to their desert home as war booty. But it's dark magic corrupted them, casing the Zuna to turn on one another, and their civilization to destroy itself. The survivors placed the foul relic in their great Pyramid, where it remains to this day. The shekah's society simply fell apart due to the strains of the war, and they abandoned their palace in the Sky to live down on the ground. Over Time, intermarriage with Humans led to the creation of the a hybrid people, the Hylians, who eventually founded the Kingdom of Hyrule. And the Shekiah slipped back into the shadows, becoming a tribe of Ninjas who protect the Royal family.

If all this is true, then the Occoca must have taken over this Abandoned City afterward, making it their home. The Hylian Royal family mistook the Birdlike folk for their creators, and established communication with them in secret. The Shekiah, wanting to keep their secrecy and seclusion, did nothing to correct the mistake. Oh Goddesses, how could an entire chapter of our people's history be lost like this? The stories say the goddesses created the world and the first lifeforms, but say nothing about where the other races came from. Could the other races have also been creations of the warring Twili and Sheikah, brought into existence by magical genetic engineering? This could all, of course, just be a myth written here by the Sky Folk, and it explains so many mysteries throughout Hyrule.

Truth, or fiction? I'll leave it to the royal historians to decide.

The Dragon destroys a bridge, forcing the Hero to work his way around. He faces Karagorocs in the air, and helmasaurs on the ground. Link reactivates several of the ancient machines, which reactivates many of the propellers, and grants my boy access to several new areas. As he explores, I noticed many of the doors, passageways, and controls are all human-sized, supporting the story that I read on the walls of the city.

Why would birds build for themselves a city made to be used by humans?

My boy eventually finds himself facing an aerialfos, a dragon-like Lizalfos with wings. Upon defeating it, he earns another Clawshot, which he can now use in conjunction with the other one to swing from peahat to peahat, accessing formerly unreachable places. Link Eventually climbs farther and farther up, using the propeller fans he has reactivated, to reach the lair of the dragon High atop the city. Here, he will face Aragorok, a nasty dragon who even makes Volvagia look pathetic.

And the battle begins.

Arriving in hat looks like a large arena-like area, Link is attacked by Aragorok. He clawshots a large pillar to get up to the dragon's level, than clawshots from pillar to pillar to avoid the beasts breath. When the dragon becomes exhausted, he clawshots onto it's tail, then uses his weight (and the weight of the iron boots) to bring the dragon down, knocking his armor off. Enraged, the dragon attacks again, spewing fire at the Hero as he clawshots out of the way once more. When Aragorok tires himself out again, My boy latches onto it's back, and slashes the diamond there again and again. Aragorok fights long and hard, but he is no match for the hero of Twilight. The foul dragon is slain, and Midna and the Hero claim the final shard.

At last, he was all of the Mirror shards!

The Occococa rejoice, thanking Link for saving their city from destruction. Now, we must return to Hyrule, and restore the broken mirror. My boy will leave the relative safety of this world, and venture into the shadow of the Twilight realm. There we will take the fight to Ganon's puppet, who caused the Twilight to descend upon Hyrule in the first place.

Zant, we are coming for you!


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

This place is... strange...

After retuning to the Arbtriter's grounds, Midna and the Hero reassemble the Mirror of Twilight, making it whole once more. The Six Sages then appear, and Apologize to the Twilight Princess for dumping Ganon into her otherwise peaceful world. Personally, I believe they have a lot more to apologize for, but I say nothing, as always. My boy and the Twilight Princess then depart through the Mirror.

The Twilight realm.

It appears to be a large void, illuminated by the soft glow of the Twilight. The royal palace stands before us, floating on an island of rock in the middle of nowhere. Off in the distance, I can see other structures drifting silently in the void, as well. Nearby are several Twili, who have transformed by Zant into Twilight Beasts. The Twilight Princess explains that, in order to help them, and gain access to Zant's chambers, we must recover the two Sols, the magic artificial suns of the Twilight Realm.

Link eagerly charges forward.

My boy makes his way though the left and right wings of the palace, fighting his way past nasty Twilight monsters of various kinds. There are places the Twilight is so thick, it automatically turns him back into a wolf. Zant seems to be an egomaniac, as several giant effigies of his head appear, attacking the Hero with magic blasts. Guarding each of the two orbs, is a phantom Zant, both of whom my boy is able to dispatch with ease. When he is able to grab each of the Sols, a large wallmaster emerges, trying to take them away from Link, and put them back where Zant had hidden them. Fortunately, Link is able to evade the giant hands, and restore the sols to their proper places. The Twili are quickly restored, though Midna is so ashamed about her appearance, she refuses to appear before her subjects.

I am unimpressed.

So these are the Twili, the great enemies who tried to invade the sacred realm. Whatever power their ancestors had, they are a peaceful folk now, and are no threat to anyone. It is still hard to believe that they were such a menace, seeing how diminished their descendants are after a thousand years. But if the Trident, the fused Shadow, and Majora's mask are any indication, in their heyday they were capable of great and terrible feats of Magic. I wonder if Majora wasn't some powerful sorcerer or demon of their race, banished into the mask by a fellow Twili for being too evil even for him.

I guess I shall never know.

The Master sword reacts to the Sols, drawing their power into it's blade. My boy uses this light to cut a path through the Darkness, straight towards the Twilight King. As he battles his way through the main body of the palace, I glance nervously over my shoulder. This gap between dimensions may be home to the Twili, but there is another creature that lives here among the shadows, as well. A sinister reflection of myself, born from the smooth surface of the Dark Mirror. I first faced him in the water temple, and even though I was victorious, it frightened me how terribly close I came to losing to my evil twin...

To Shadow Link...

He is immortal, as when he is killed, he can simply be regenerated from the Dark Mirror once more. He can also make endless copies of himself, though they are all weaker than the original. Shadow Link haunted my nightmares for years after we battled, turning my every move back against me as we fought over and over again in my dreams. Since the Dark mirror (like the Twilight Mirror) leads back to this place, I can only imagine he's out there somewhere, watching us from deep within the Twilight Realm. I pray he does not come forward to challenge my boy as he did me.

There are some things even a spirit fears.

Soon, Link approaches Zant's throne room. When he enters, the Twlight King is sitting upon his stolen throne, gloating about his new found success. Zant launches into a mad tirade, ranting about how the Throne of the Twili rightfully belonged to him, and how his 'god' gave him the power to take it by force. As I listen, I begin to realize that the Twilight King is not the dangerous threat we all thought he was, but instead is a crazed lunatic, only made dangerous by the Power Ganondorf gave him. I would burst out laughing at this pathetic clown were it not for the seriousness of the situation.

Goddesses, what is he doing?!?

Zant has engaged the Hero in battle, but instead of Fighting normally, is prancing around wildly, like he's had too much to drink! His erratic and wild movements are proof of the Twilight king's insanity, and his crazy cackling laughter is somewhere between ridiculous and terrifying. Zant keeps shifting from one combat style to the next, running through the tactics of many of the monsters my boy has already faced and conquered. Every time he changes fighting Styles, zant changes the background to Match. Finally, he challenges Link to a sword battle, a fight which he is destined to lose. After a long and arduous battle, the Hero finally topples the Twilight King.

Although personally, I'd say Zant had already the fight against insanity a long time ago.

Midna reclaims the Fused Shadow, but fails to return to her human form. The Cackling Zant falls back onto his throne, and Midna questions him on what is so funny. The Usurper replies that through his bond with Ganondorf, the Evil King has already been reborn into the world. As long as one survives, the other cannot be truly killed. Enraged, Midna lashes out at Zant with her power, killing him, and ending his threat to her people. She is surprised by her newfound power, which she does not fully understand yet. Nevertheless, the World of Twilight is finally freed from evil.

But the battle is not over.

Ganon, it seems, has taken over Hyrule castle, and placed a barrier around it, to prevent anyone from entering. My boy must now return to Hyrule, and confront the Evil king, as I once did. Before he does, however, I have one last maneuver to teach him. Link's quest is almost over, but the worst is still ahead of him.

Hurry, my boy! The final confrontation awaits!


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

The hero has returned to Hyrule.

As he approaches the castle, I take the form of the Golden Wolf one final time. I am ready to give him my final and greatest skill, which may aid him in the halls of Hyrule castle. He had howled the last tune to the Stone in the Hidden village, so I know he is ready to learn my lost art. When he nears where I stand, I leap at him...

...one final time...

We commence with his last training session, and he learns the Great spin as easily as I knew he would. I stare at him, at a loss for words. There is so much I want to tell him: how proud I am of him, and what he has become, how sorry I am about the mistakes I made, and how my arrogance cost his grandmother and his parents lives...how much I love him, and wish I could have been there when he was growing up. Instead of saying any of that, this came out instead:

"Although I accepted life as the hero, I could not convey the lessons of that life to those who came after. At last, I have eased my who have marched through countless foes, each mightier than the last... You, who now gaze to the future with vision unclouded...  
Surely you can restore Hyrule to its stature of yore as the chosen land of the  
gods...Farewell!

Go, and do not falter, my child!"

As the light engulfs him, I must fight back the tears that threaten to come forth from my empty eye sockets. There is nothing more I can do for him, his destiny is now his own. I can only pray to the Goddesses that they keep him safe, and he survives the battle to come. When he is returned to the real world, I could swear a brief whisper escapes his lips.

"Thank You, grandfather."

But perhaps it is only my imagination.

As they near Ganon's barrier, Midna uses the power of the power of the fused shadow to become a fierce beast, which easily shatters the barrier around the castle. Getting inside, my boy battles his way through the Castle courtyard, killing Moblins and Bokoblins as he goes. The strike of his blade goes more intense with each swing.

The Hero of Twilight passes through the old Castle graveyard, fighting stalfos and Stalchildren as he goes. This is the place where Malon and I are buried, our mortal remains buried side by side in the grave of the "Cursed Swordsman". It is a strange thing to look at your own grave, and realize you are dead. Of all the things I have seen while watching my grandson, this might be the most macrabe of all.

As the Hero fights, I see the graves of many of my old comrades, the Knights of Hyrule, scattered throughout the courtyard. Suddenly, I know how I can help.

"Brothers! Rise from your graves!" My ghostly voice calls out. "Hyrule needs your aid once more! Come forth, and point out the way to the Hero!"

Nearly thirty ghastly spirits rise from their graves, and move into various positions, pointing out things for my boy he would normally not notice. He is able to get past many obstacles because of their aid, and I am glad I was able to help him.

At one point, he once again runs into King Bulbin, who holds a key the Hero needs to progress. They fight yet again, and my boy dominates him in battle. But before Link can deliver the killing blow, the beast does something unexpected.

He speaks.

He yells for Link to stop. Bulbin then hands Link the key, then mounts his massive boar. "I follow the strongest side! ...That is all I have ever known." Without another word, the Mobiln king rides out of Hyrule Castle, leaving a stunned Link and Midna behind.

I never thought one of Ganon's monsters would ever abandon him, what just happened seems incredible... and yet, I've seen another I thought evil turn out to have a good soul. Midna, who I long despised for using my boy, has turned out to actually care about him, and care about the fate of this world. I most definitely misjudged her, she is a worthy ally and friend to the Hero, perhaps even...

...well, let's not get ahead of ourselves.

As Link continues to fight through the castle, I see the Resistance coming to his aide, firing a canon at enemies who are attacking the hero. Reassured that my boy is in good hands, I glide ahead to the Throne room. There, Ganon sits on the Throne of Hyrule, a comatose Zelda hovering nearby. I look on in anger, until something else unexpected happens.

"So tell me, Hero... what's it like being dead?" The Evil King says calmly, looking right at me. "I wouldn't know, after all... I'm immortal, while you are not."

I should have known he could see me. "You will not get away with this Ganondorf!" I yell in anger, drawing my blade. "Release Zelda now!"

"Who's going to make me? You?" His chilling laughter echoes throughout the palace. "You bested me in life, whelp, but you are nothing but a ghost now!" Standing up, he launches a wave of dark energy towards me, sending me sprawling backward. "Without the triforce of Courage, you're nothing!"

"The one who carries that sacred relic is within these walls, Ganondorf!" I spit at him in anger. "And he is coming for you!"

The evil king scoffs. "That witless boy? He is beneath my notice!" He sits back down on the Throne again, smiling evilly. "But I shall permit you to stay and watch his demise. "When you sealed me away, I swore to exterminate your descendants! Now, watch as I carry out that promise, then take the whole of the Triforce for my own!"

"We shall see..." I yell in defiance, just as my boy and Minda enter the room. After a few minutes of talk, the final battle begins!

Ganon first possesses Zelda's body, and attempts to destroy Link with blasts of dark magic. Using a technique similar to the one I used against Ganon, he deflects the blasts back at Zelda. After enough of these attacks, they are able to drive the evil King out of Zelda's body. Next, Ganondorf takes the form of Ganon, the giant boar monster. Attacking Link from all sides through warp portals, the Hero meets this challenge by unleashing an arrow into the boar's skull, then slashing at his chest with his sword. Eventually, Ganon gets wise to this attack, and starts avoiding the bow. Becoming a wolf, Link charges the boar head on, and in a mighty contest of strength, Minda tosses Ganon aside, allowing Link to jump at his chest, tearing into it with his sharp teeth.

Ganon is down... but not for long.

Transferring Zelda's spirit, and the Triforce of Wisdom, back into her own body, Minda uses the power of the fused shadow to Teleport Link and Zelda to safety, then engages the evil King in battle. The combat is so fierce, it destroys Hyrule castle in one horrendous explosion. For a moment, it appears the battle is over, and Minda has triumphed over Ganondorf.

But only for a moment.

Ganon reappears on horseback, triumphantly holding a broken piece of the fused Shadow over his head. Calling upon the power of the light spirits, Zelda summons the Light arrows, tools which a previous Zelda gave me to use against Ganon, and climbs onto Epona's back with Link. The two chase after the evil king on his horse, avoiding the dark spirits he calls forth, and moving in close enough for Zelda to nail him with an arrow. Whenever the Princess hits him, the Hero moves in and slashes Ganondorf with his blade. Finally, the two manage to get him off his dark horse, and the evil King makes his last stand.

Raising golden walls so Zelda cannot aid my boy, Ganon draws forth the blade the sages used against him so long ago, and lunges at the Hero of Twilight. It is the most intense sword duel of his life, as the King of Evil is able to match him blow for blow. For every hit Link gets in on Ganon, he himself takes a wound. Finally, Link is totally exhausted, and will lose if something is not done. Without thinking, I whisper something incredibly insane into his mind.

"The Rod- use the fishing rod"

Pulling out the fishing rod, Link begins to wave it around wildly. Ganon is so stunned by this stupid action, that he leaves himself open for a powerful sword stroke from Link, which knocks the king of evil off of his feet. The Hero then moves forward, and with every last ounce of his strength, plunges the Master Sword straight into Ganon's chest.

The evil king's scream of agony could be heard for miles.

After a few moments, Ganon stumbles back to his feet, the Sword sticking straight through his body. As he swears revenge, the Master Sword cancels out the Triforce of Power, an it's symbol fades from his hand, as its power goes dormant within him. Then I notice Zant's spirit appear before the Evil King. "So, we Twili are merely your useless pawns, eh?" He says to his 'God' in contempt."Well, this pawn is tired of playing your game!" The spirit then snaps his own neck. I don't know if that was a symbolic final act of defiance by the dead Zant, or a last use of their bond to kill the evil king. But in either case, Ganon died there in that moment, standing as still and quiet as a statue.

At last...it's finally over.

Author's note: One chapter to go, and for anyone who thinks the fishing rod thing was corny, try using it on him in the game... IT ACTUALLY WORKS!


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

It is over.

As the dust clears from the final battle, my boy's eyes scan the horizon. He sees all of the light spirits, all fully restored to their former glory, before they fade back to their respective homes. Suddenly, Link sees a small - but familiar - figure in the distance.

Could it be?

Hopeful, link runs towards the figure, hoping beyond hope, but is surprised when the form stands up to it's full height. A beautiful Twili woman stands before him, staring at him with piercing eyes. The Hero is uncertain and confused, until Midna's familiar voice reassures him. A smile spreads across his face, as he sees the Twilight Princess is alive and well.

Evil is defeated, and Hyrule is once again on the road to recovery.

Although everyone in the kingdom is not aware of what just happened, they all feel that a great darkness has been lifted from the land. The citizens of Hyrule castle town celebrate, while the long lost children finally return home to Odoron. On Death mountain the Goron battle each other in contests of skill, while a young prince in Zora's domain feels the loving presence of his mother's spirit nearby. The resistance group from Telma's bar investigates the Ruins of the Temple of Time, where the Master sword once again rests. King Bulbin and his followers race across Hyrule field, but with the monsters still loyal to Ganon hunting those they consider traitors down, Bulbin will not be alive for long.

Ganondorf's body simply vanished, probably taken by his monsters . But it will be at least a century before His Wizzrobes figure out the proper spells to reawaken the dormant Triforce of Power within him. Hyrule will not have to deal with the Evil king for a few generations.

As Link and Zelda go to the Arbitriter's grounds to see Midna home, there is a heavy sadness in the hearts of my boy and the Twilight princess. I see now the two of them have developed a strong bond during there adventures, and neither of them wants to say goodbye. But Midna realizes that Light and shadow cannot mix, and she and the Hero cannot be together. With a she tear, she passes through the Mirror of Twilight, and shatters it into countless shards. A look of pure sadness crosses Link's face, he is going to miss her.

Farewell, princess of the twilight.

As I float High above the kingdom, I look over this beautiful land of Hyrule. My boy and I have both worked so hard to protect the kingdom of the gods from evil, and our efforts have been self -rewarding. To see this land, and it's inhabitants, happy and safe is enough of a reward for all of our toil and sweat. So long as the sons of the House of Link are willing to wear the green tunic, take up the sword, and fight, evil will never claim victory. I only wish the path of the Hero was not always such a lonely one...

"Link?" I hear the voice of another spirit nearby... a voice I have not heard in a long time. I spin around, and find myself looking into the eyes of the ghost of a farm girl, as young and as beautiful as the first day I met her. I listened to her sad song echo across Hyrule field for many years, but have always been to afraid to go to her. Now, she has come to me...

"M-Malon?" I ask in surprise. "Malon, I never thought I'd see you again... I'm so sorry..."

She places a finger on my ghostly mouth, stopping me mid-sentence. "My beloved... I never blamed you for anything that happened, even though you've continued to blame yourself." She puts her arms around my neck. "I'm so proud of you, Link. For training our grandson, and helping to save Hyrule once again."

I try to reply but the words just won't come. I have never been as happy, during my life or afterlife, as I am at this moment. Finally, she pulls away, still holding my hand. "Come on, Fairy boy. It's time to go home."

I nod, and follow her into the light. As I go, the goddesses grant me several visions of the future. In one vision, I see one of my descendants sailing across a vast ocean, using some kind of Baton to conduct the wind. Farther into the future, I see another descendant splitting himself into four, and battling an evil Wind mage. In a later vision, I see one of my bloodline controlling the seasons with a rod, and the ages of time with a harp. And farthest into the future of all, I see a distant descendant of mine finally destroy shadow Link once and for all, and Awaken a sleeping Princess Zelda.

Seeing these images, I am certain the Hyrule will remain in good hands in the ages to come. Malon and I depart into the light, hand in hand, with no sorrow or regrets. But should my line ever have need of me again, I will return, and help them walk the path of the warrior.

After all, that's what a hero supposed to do.


End file.
